Ediets Refuses To Give A Gluten Free Option

[Dangerkitten]

I joined eDiets almost a year ago and have struggled with the menu choices that long. I wrote thier nutritionist on a couple occasions, requesting to have a gluten free menu but they just give a run around and say they are thinking about it...it's in the discussion phase. I also made the suggestion on the boards that just as they have other diet restrictions, like salt, red meat, soy, fish, and so on, that a non-gluten category should be added. Others have backed me up, and requested the same thing from the dietician in letters. One person I talked to told me they had not plans to add gluten-free options.

The only option they give me, is to use a program on site that looks up the nutritional choices of every single food. I can do that offline! What is the point of setting up menus that you cant use? I guess I'm just ranting here because I have run out of patience with eDiets and want to make sure any other celiacs with weight to lose don't assume they will work around your issue. You will be on your own. The emotional support is good but that is only part of the program and you have to pay extra for that.

End of vent.....

Janet

[nettiebeads]

I joined eDiets almost a year ago and have struggled with the menu choices that long. I wrote thier nutritionist on a couple occasions, requesting to have a gluten free menu but they just give a run around and say they are thinking about it...it's in the discussion phase. I also made the suggestion on the boards that just as they have other diet restrictions, like salt, red meat, soy, fish, and so on, that a non-gluten category should be added. Others have backed me up, and requested the same thing from the dietician in letters. One person I talked to told me they had not plans to add gluten-free options.

The only option they give me, is to use a program on site that looks up the nutritional choices of every single food. I can do that offline! What is the point of setting up menus that you cant use? I guess I'm just ranting here because I have run out of patience with eDiets and want to make sure any other celiacs with weight to lose don't assume they will work around your issue. You will be on your own. The emotional support is good but that is only part of the program and you have to pay extra for that.

End of vent.....

Janet

Thanks for the info. I was afraid of that. They can modify for diabetics and others, but those with celiac disease are left hanging in the breeze. Personally, I was thinking of the glycemic index.

[cdford]

Most dieticians are not well versed in celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. They may be concerned that they will give poor advice and get you into trouble and are not willing to take the appropriate amount of time to do the research when they can be earning money on someone with far less medical ramifications if they make a mistake.

As big as they are, you would think they could have at least one "resident expert". Makes you almost (but not quite) want to wish one of them would find out they have celiac disease so they could kick start it.

[Rusla]

Perhaps their problem is like so many others. Perhaps they do not think that Celiac disease is a valid life-threatening disease. There are many who just think it is some urban legend. I have talked to doctors who thought it was impossible to have hypglycemia or Celiac.

[tarnalberry]

I think the most likely thing is concern for legal liability. I'm sure they have disclaimers, and whatnot, but people get hopelessly silly over some things like this.

[Dangerkitten]

Well today I searched google with the following: eDiets, gluten. I came up with the UK eDiets site at the top of the search. They have launched a gluten free diet plan. So in a state of total amazement, I had another online chat with a nutritionist at the US eDiet site where I'm a member.

I quoted statistics, pointed to the UK site, the NIH page on the incidence of celiac disease in Americans, a study on obese celiacs.... you name it, just trying to get some movement on a program here. She said

"I understand your concern and we hope to include this plan in the future. Many factors go in to creating a new meal plan, so it can take time for us to launch this." The trouble is, I heard exactly the same thing 6 months ago, and a month later was told there was nothing in development...

I asked if my membership was transferable to the UK site (assuming it wasn't). I'm sure I was annoying, but I'm just so frustrated. I also went to the UK site, wrote the nutritionist asking for her advice on how I could push for the program for Americans at our eDiet site. I'm not sure how much good I'm doing, but if nagging helps, I'll keep it up. Better than just being frustrated and doing nothing.

Janet