Development of a Self-Regulatory App for Adults with Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune dysfunction that requires strict adherence to a gluten-free (GF) diet in order to prevent detrimental health outcomes. Following a strict GF diet is difficult given that gluten is added as a preservative or binding agent to many foods. Findings from a review suggest strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is as low as 42%. As such, poor adherence to a GF diet is an emerging health concern for people living with celiac disease. The goal of this study is to develop and evaluate an evidence-based app to help people manage celiac disease and follow a nutritious, strict GF diet. The app will be revised based on findings from this initial evaluation work. It is expected that the app will be well-received and lead to improvements in patient-reported outcomes. The benefit to the Calgary Celiac Association is that the app will provide a much needed tool to help their members (i.e., people living with celiac disease) to improve management of their chronic disease.

Faculty Supervisor:

Nicole Culos-Reed

Student:

Justine Dowd

Partner:

Calgary Chapter of the Canadian Celiac Association

Discipline:

Kinesiology

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

University of Calgary