[Gluten: Is the information available on the Internet valid?]

BACKGROUND: Internet provides easy access to health information, but the quality and validity of this information vary.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the quality of website structures and the information provided on celiac disease (CD), gluten sensitivity (GS), and wheat allergy (WA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The websites addressing CD, GS, and WA appearing on the first two pages of Google, Yahoo, and Bing from seven selected queries were investigated. We initially assessed the website structures with one instrument (Netscoring) and the presence of certification (quality label Health On the Net (HON code)). Then we evaluated the content of each website concerning the information about CD, GS, and WA. Our repository was based on the most recent guidelines of the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) published in 2012. The websites were classified into eight categories.

RESULTS: One hundred and five websites were included. Twenty-one websites obtained a sufficient score with the Netscoring instrument (average 113.6/312). There was a significant correlation between the referenced websites analyzed and the grades obtained with the Netscoring instrument (Pearson=0.39, P=0.2×10-5 ): websites of scientific societies (11.8/18), community websites (9.44/18), and website associations (9.4/18). There was a significant correlation between the results obtained for the websites on CD, GS, and WA and the results obtained for the websites with the Netscoring instruments (Pearson=0.41, P=2.6×10-6 ). Only three websites were consistent with the guidelines on CD, GS, and WA.

CONCLUSION: The websites were partially in agreement with the guidelines. To date, the pediatrician remains the main actor in parental guidance concerning gluten information.