I suspect that 99% number actually refers to the fact that 99% of the population does not have celiac disease. In other words, they don't have a completely debilitating, violent, gut damaging reaction to gluten.



However, there's plenty of other ways to experience a sensitivity to gluten which don't necessarily involve days of bloating and explosive diarrhea every time they eat something that so much as touched equipment that touched a gluten containing ingredient. Hence the term gluten sensitivity, which applies to other ways that gluten can cause havoc in the body, ranging from mild problems, to harsh symptoms that fall just short of qualifying as celiac.



That doesn't mean I think those who have some kind of uncomfortable reaction to gluten (but don't officially have celiac), should just shrug their shoulders and eat wheat with wild abandon, especially once they figure out they feel better without it. It's their decision of course - but I personally wouldn't be anxious to eat gluten, knowing it was going to make me feel bad, if I could possibly avoid eating it, and would therefore be eating gluten free. I also don't believe that their less-than-full-celiac symptoms should be scoffed, simply because they aren't among the 1% who absolutely MUST avoid gluten due to celiac.