Background/Introduction: Celiac disease is an autoimmune, genetically mediated disorder for which the only current treatment is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. Culinary medicine has improved disease management in conditions such as diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease, and gluten-free education programs have demonstrated gains in knowledge and confidence. However, little research has evaluated culinary medicine interventions specifically for individuals with celiac disease.
Methods: Twelve culinary medicine webinars were conducted over two years, each combining evidence-based education with a live cooking demonstration on topics related to celiac disease and co-occurring conditions. Participants completed post-webinar surveys assessing confidence in managing the gluten-free diet, label reading, cooking skills, dietary knowledge, and intended behavior change. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant demographics and survey responses.
Results: A total of 6,602 individuals participated, with 23.7% attending multiple webinars (mean 2.81 registrations per repeat participant). Most participants were female (80%), White (88.5%), aged 40–49 years (25%), diagnosed with celiac disease for more than 10 years (35%), and attended because they had celiac disease themselves (75%). Following participation, 91.4% reported learning something new, 78.4% reported improved understanding of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, and 73.4% planned to make dietary changes. Participants reported greater confidence managing the gluten-free diet (3.94/5), reading food labels (3.83/5), and 40% reported increased confidence in cooking skills. Additionally, 81.4% would recommend the webinar series to others with celiac disease.
Discussion: Culinary medicine webinars improved knowledge, confidence, and intended dietary behaviors among individuals with celiac disease, mirroring outcomes reported in diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. High repeat participation suggests an ongoing need for practical, culinary-based nutrition education. These findings support culinary medicine as a valuable component of comprehensive celiac disease education.