Is gluten just the gimmick of the moment?

It seems like everyone is gluten intolerant, gluten sensitive or suffering from celiac disease these days.

But just who is really suffering from gluten?

The American Gastroenterological Association says that much more needs to be known about gluten sensitivity before official guidelines can be devised—including how many people suffer from it and to what degree.

About 1% of people in the U.S. have celiac disease, a fourfold increase over the past 50 years. Some gastroenterologists say that for every patient with celiac disease, they see six to eight who have the same symptoms, but without the tell-tale antibodies or intestinal damage needed to confirm celiac.

Evidence is mounting that gluten sensitivity does exist. Dr. Fasano and colleagues last year compared blood samples and intestinal biopsies from people with suspected gluten sensitivity to those with confirmed celiac disease and healthy controls, and found distinct differences in each.