THE UNIVERSITY of Worcester featured in a BBC television programme looking at the impact of a gluten-free diet.
A study carried out by experts at the university featured on BBC 2’s Trust Me I’m a Doctor series screened on Thursday (September 8).
Covering a variety of health and medicine related issues from exercise and diet to future medicine, the episode saw 52 participants cut out gluten from their diet for six weeks.
At different times, volunteers introduced 80g to 100g of pasta into their daily intake, one pasta contained gluten and one was gluten-free.
The pastas were eaten for two weeks each, but participants were not told which was which. They then reported on their symptoms at the beginning and then every two weeks, as well as having blood tests after eating each type of pasta.
Justine Bold, senior lecturer in the University’s Institute of Health and Society, who leads on three postgraduate nutrition modules and has a research interest in food sensitivities, has been at the forefront of the project.
She said: “It’s a big ask for people to do a gluten free diet for six weeks in the summer when there was the Euros and the Olympics, but it was a good opportunity for people to be part of contributing to future understanding of gluten sensitivity in human health.
“I hope this showcases the nutrition expertise we have here at the University and highlights work that the University does that people might not know about.”
A female participant, 52, from Worcester, said: “It has been interesting. I think I’m going to try lactose free as well as gluten free.”
