Research of more than 3,000 people with coeliac disease found that nearly one third of respondents said that they never eat out, or eat out less than once every other month. Nearly a quarter said they have travelled for an hour or longer in order to find a restaurant that provides a gluten-free meal. However, 30% of the respondents stated that they would eat out once a week if they could be confident of a safe gluten-free menu option. The survey also highlighted that there is a potential £100 million market amongst those diagnosed with the condition and the friends and family they eat out with. At least 1 in 100 – 600,000 people in the UK has coeliac disease which is an autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten. Damage to the gut lining occurs when gluten is eaten; there is no cure or medication for the condition and the only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life. Chef Phil Vickery, Coeliac UK's Food Ambassador, said: 'I'm passionate about improving understanding in the food industry on the need for more gluten-free cooking as more and more people are diagnosed. Currently, eating out is a lottery for people with coeliac disease. "According to the Allegra Strategies consumer research, on average, one in nine meals are eaten out of the home every week, equivalent to an estimated 148 million meals in 2009. People with coeliac disease do not have the luxury of choice or availability on their doorstep and the idea of having to travel over an hour just to find somewhere safe to eat is unthinkable for most people."