11Junior Jordan Wahlstrom was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2008, an autoimmune disease that requires her to follow a gluten free diet.

“For those of us who are diagnosed with this disease, the only cure is to follow a gluten-free diet, which consists of eliminating wheat, rye, barley, malt and a number of other grains,” said Wahlstrom, an advertising major. “I have never eaten on campus because I don’t think they have enough knowledge to cook gluten-free.”

The university does recognize that the gluten-free population is growing, said Deb Rambadt, marketing manager for Campus Dining, but they are not aware of how many people with restrictive diets visit dining locations on campus.

“Oftentimes guests with dietary restrictions do not identify themselves to us,” Rambadt said. “Generally they prefer to manage their dining habits on their own.”

Rambadt said students with dietary concerns should provide suggestions and feedback via comment cards, to the Campus Dining email address, [email protected], or drop in on the Student Food Advisory Committee to share concerns.

“If someone is on a restrictive diet, I think that speaking with a dietician to individualize nutrition is important,” said Lori Schermers, a registered dietician with the GVSU Fitness & Wellness Center. “If they have a disease that is causing them to be restrictive with their diet, if they’re at all feeling confused or can’t find anything to eat, it would be a very important thing to seek the services of a registered dietician.”

Campus Dining does not have a program devoted to helping students with restrictive diets. Instead, they work with students individually.

“So far we have worked with students on a one-on-one basis,” Rambadt said. “We give them guidance and information about the choices they have on campus within their respective dining restrictions.”

Rambadt also said those students can talk to restaurant managers to learn about the options available. Nutritional information is also available online at www.gvsufood.com, but menus do not include ingredient lists or allergen information.

“As a whole, people aren’t educated about restrictive diets,” said senior Andrew Kremmers, a Spanish and Finance major who discovered that he had Celiac disease last fall. “They don’t know how to prepare food correctly. I’ve never been in a Grand Valley kitchen, but I suspect that people there aren’t very aware of what they have to do.”

Despite the options that Campus Dining offers, students like Wahlstrom and Kremmers expect the university to take a more proactive stance on dietary restrictions.

“GVSU needs to make a point to address all individuals with food restrictions,” Wahlstrom said. “I understand they have some options, but being certified or having a designated facility for these food restrictions will make students with these diets feel more comfortable eating on campus.”

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