Introduction:
Celiac disease (CD) is a permanent intolerance of gluten. Untreated, it can lead to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The disease requires a diet that eliminates gluten. The use of diet can affect the quality of life in terms of social functioning and influence certain areas of life.

Aim:
Assessment of the effects of a gluten-free diet on selected aspects of life and factors determining the difficulty in complying with elimination diet in patients with CD.

Material and Methods:
The study group consisted of 867 patients on a gluten-free diet, aged 2 – 77-years-old: 635 adults and 232 parents of children with CD. Data were collected with a questionnaire among users of a closed online forum for people on the gluten-free diet.

Results:
The study showed that patients felt the lack of acceptance and understanding by a part of community because of the necessity of being on a diet. Availability of special food stores, where the majority of respondents purchase their food (60%) was rated as low (47%) or very low (16%). Obstacle to maintaining a diet, next to the low availability of gluten-free products, was their high price. 60% of adults admitted consuming unallowable products, while 49% of parents confirmed that there were derogations in the diets of their children. Patients, due to diet, were forced to abandon a trip (58% of children, 51% of adults), and 48% of parents of children with CD met with refusal of admission to a nursery school.

Conclusions:
Being on a diet affects the daily functioning of patients with CD related to traveling, eating outside the home and social life. Low availability of shops, high food prices and low awareness of people are the cause for non-adherence to recommendations by patients with CD.