MORE must be done to ­diagnose people with coeliac disease, which leads to an adverse reaction to gluten, a charity has warned.

If the disease is untreated it can lead to a range of other medical problems, but at present, only 24 per cent of people with the autoimmune condition are diagnosed, a spokeswoman for Coeliac UK said.

The charity said the rate of diagnosis has quadrupled since 1994 but more needs to be done to identify sufferers.

Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Coeliac UK, said: "The three-quarters undiagnosed - around 500,000 people - is a shocking statistic that needs urgent action."

The charity has set up a campaign, the Gluten-free Guarantee,challenging supermarkets to stock core items of gluten-free food.