Children with celiac disease face unique challenges when it comes to maintaining a safe and nutritious gluten-free diet. Many gluten-free products are ultra-processed and rely heavily on rice-based ingredients, raising concerns about long-term health impacts. As awareness grows around the need for more balanced dietary guidance, research plays a critical role in identifying healthier solutions. This is why the Celiac Disease Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 NASPGHAN Foundation/Celiac Disease Foundation Celiac Research Young Investigator Development Award is Dr. Nan Du from Boston Children’s Hospital for her study on optimizing gluten-free nutrition.
Dr. Du’s project, Gluten-Free Nutrition Optimization through Ultra-processed food Reduction and Improved Strategies for Health (GF-NOURISH), tackles a critical challenge in pediatric celiac disease: improving the overall quality of the gluten-free diet. The study explores how adapting the Canadian Gluten-Free Food Guide (GFFG) for use in the United States can help children with celiac disease eat healthier and feel better in the long term.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for funding and support provided by the CDF/NASPGHAN Foundation Research Award for my project, GF-NOURISH,” shared Dr. Du. “Our study aims to assess the impact of the recently validated Canadian Gluten-Free Food Guide on pediatric diet quality, body composition, and toenail arsenic levels in the U.S., hypothesizing that education using the GFFG will lead to improvements in these areas.”
Since the grant was awarded at the November 2024 NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, Dr. Du’s team has made great progress. In the first quarter, Dr. Du’s team has focused on adapting the GFFG curriculum for American families. This process has included multiple feedback sessions with a diverse group of stakeholders, including registered dietitians, international collaborators, and participating families. The team has also secured Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and acquired a bioimpedance spectroscopy device to measure body composition, which an essential tool in evaluating the study’s outcomes. Recruitment is slated to begin later this month, with the first GFFG class scheduled for early May.
The NASPGHAN Foundation/Celiac Disease Foundation Celiac Research Young Investigator Development Award reflects the Foundation’s broader commitment to accelerating diagnosis, treatments, and a cure for celiac disease. Since 2016, the Foundation has provided research awards to emerging investigators, recognizing the urgent need to address the severe underfunding of celiac disease research by national agencies. This award helps retain top-tier scientific talent in the field, empowering researchers like Dr. Du to pursue innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges faced by those living with celiac disease.
We are excited to see what comes next from the GF-NOURISH Study and proud to support research that is helping children with celiac disease improve the quality of their gluten-free diet.
Listen to Dr. Nan Du talk about her research here.
