Compliance with a gluten-free (GF) diet is mandatory for patients with coeliac disease. In order to identify factors responsible for diet transgressions, we conducted a study in which 61 children and adolescents with coeliac disease were included. Inclusion criteria were age under 19 years, being at least one year on a GF diet and regular outpatient clinic follow ups between years 2016 and 2018 at the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University Children's Hospital in Ljubljana. Two types of questionnaires were used in the study, first one being designed for children with coeliac disease and second one for their parents. Statistically significant correlation between parental knowledge of coeliac disease and GF diet and adherence to GF diet in children was found. However, statistical analysis did not confirm correlation between several other factors, such as children knowledge about coeliac disease and GF diet, membership in coeliac society, level of parental education and family income, meal consumption outside home, family history of coeliac disease and dietary transgressions in children/adolescents with coeliac disease. Based on our results we conclude that education about coeliac disease and GF diet is the main factor influence adherence to strict GF diet. Consequently, one of proposed strategies for better compliance with GF diet could be education of patients, their families, cook chefs and general public about the disease.
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