Dietary conditions
Understanding your condition helps you make safer, more confident choices. Below is a plain-language overview of the conditions DietTribe caters for, with links to in-depth information from Healthify Hā Hauora — New Zealand's trusted health information website.
Coeliac disease
An autoimmune condition where eating gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye — triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestine. Even tiny amounts of gluten can cause harm. The only treatment is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet.
- Affects roughly 1 in 70 New Zealanders, many undiagnosed
- Diagnosed via blood tests and intestinal biopsy
- Not the same as gluten intolerance — it is an autoimmune disease
Gluten intolerance
Also called non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. People with gluten intolerance experience symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and gut discomfort when eating gluten, but do not have the intestinal damage or immune response that characterises coeliac disease. The mechanism is not fully understood.
- No reliable diagnostic test — typically diagnosed by exclusion
- Symptoms often improve significantly on a gluten-free diet
- Cross-contamination tolerance may be higher than for coeliac disease, but varies by individual
Lactose intolerance
A digestive condition where the body cannot fully break down lactose, the sugar in dairy products, due to low levels of the enzyme lactase. This leads to bloating, gas, and diarrhoea after consuming dairy. It is not an allergy and does not involve an immune response.
- Very common — affects a significant proportion of adults worldwide
- Tolerance levels vary — many people can handle small amounts of dairy
- Hard cheeses and fermented products like yoghurt are often better tolerated
FODMAP sensitivity
FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates found in many everyday foods — wheat, onions, garlic, legumes, some fruits — that can cause digestive symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A low-FODMAP diet is a clinically supported approach to managing IBS symptoms.
- FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols
- The low-FODMAP diet is typically a short-term elimination and reintroduction protocol
- Best followed under guidance from a registered dietitian
Food allergy
A food allergy is an immune system reaction to a specific food protein. Even trace amounts can trigger reactions ranging from hives and swelling to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening emergency. Food allergies are distinct from food intolerances, which are digestive issues and are rarely life-threatening.
- The most common allergens in NZ include peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish
- Diagnosed by allergy testing with a doctor or allergist
- People with severe allergies should carry an adrenaline auto-injector (EpiPen)
More conditions coming in future
DietTribe will expand to support additional dietary conditions over time, including wheat intolerance, specific carbohydrate diet (SCD), and conditions requiring low-GI eating.
If there is a condition you would like to see covered, get in touch.
Healthify Hā Hauora — Healthify Hā Hauora is New Zealand's trusted, clinically reviewed health information website, developed in partnership with the Health Promotion Agency and Te Whatu Ora.