Britons suffering from food intolerances are treated like “second class citizens” in restaurants, according to a study.

Researchers found a large percentage (29 per cent) of the 16 million people affected by food intolerances have been forced to endure waiters rolling their eyes or even mocking their condition.

Others regularly fall victim to their food requirements not being taken seriously or fellow diners making jokes about their intolerance.

One in four went as far as to say they felt “unable to trust chefs” to fully consider their dietary requests when preparing restaurant food.

One in five said they were “too embarrassed” to mention their food intolerance so ended up ordering something safe.

The worrying statistics emerged in a study commissioned by Lactofree, the UK’s first lactose-free dairy range, looking into the experiences of people living with a food intolerance.

Samantha Peel, marketing brand manager for Lactofree, said: “Our research shows how important it can be for people who have a food intolerance to have good support networks in place to help deal with everyday situations like shopping and socialising with friends.”

The study found overall one in three sufferers have had a “bad experience” in a restaurant, while two-thirds avoid dining out altogether due to their issues.

Many said waiters seemed to view their needs as them being “fussy” rather than “a necessity”.

One in 10 said their friends accused them of being “trendy” while one in four endured mickey taking from friends or colleagues.

Psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic commented on the research findings: “People’s psychological health depends on their ability to avoid stressful experiences. Lacking control over our physical symptoms, coupled with hostile reactions to having a food intolerance, can be both stressful and demoralising, and can lead to depression – because we feel helpless and hopeless.

“The case is further exacerbated by the fact that avoiding social interactions (by not eating out with others) is a useful strategy for preventing the unpleasant symptoms or negative reactions from people around you but it also leads to being stigmatised and feeling isolated.”

This may cause feelings of guilt and decreased levels of self-esteem. Dr Chamorro-Premuzic said: “Clearly, educating people about food intolerances is key to helping those who suffer from them to get the necessary support from others and live a normal life.”

The findings also revealed those with a food intolerance are not given due attention or understand­ing from public and peers leading to feelings of isolation.

Worryingly, one in five sufferers said they have stopped eating properly while one in four are “unable to enjoy food with their family”.

A quarter said the intolerance left them feeling anxious and stressed on a daily basis.

The research also revealed the social impact of living with food intolerance, with four in 10 saying it affects their relationship with mates, while more than half (55 per cent) said they were worried about the temptation the festive food period brings with it.

A quarter said they took longer shopping trips as they constantly check labels and the same number plan meals meticulously.

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