Feature of the Month
Nutrition in the News…Is it "News" or Misinformation?
During the past decade, advances in the science of nutrition have been the subject of intense media focus. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear to consumers how to distinguish nutrition facts, which have been validated using scientific methodology, from the abundance of misinformation, fraud, and quackery currently available in the news and on the Internet.
In order to address misinformation, the American Dietetic Association has published a position paper on food and nutrition misinformation and how it can have harmful effects on the health, well-being, and economic status of consumers (ADA, 2006).
Older adults are frequent fraud targets because they have more chronic illnesses than younger people and may be more willing to try something new if it claims to heal them of their ailment. Nutrition/health fraud is a multibillion dollar industry in the U.S. Health professionals can help consumers recognize the difference between valid nutrition/health information and fraud.
Different types of misinformation include food fads, health fraud, and misdirected claims. Sources of misinformation include mass media, the Internet, testimonials by celebrities or persons in positions of power, and influences of culture or religion (ADA, 2006). It is the responsibility of nutrition educators to research the validity of the nutrition claims made by these sources so that they do not contribute to the problem. In addition, nutrition educators can educate older adults to recognize reliable information and distinguish it from misinformation.
The "10 Red Flags of Junk Science" developed by the Food and Nutrition Science Alliance can be helpful in teaching consumers what to look for as they read nutrition/health "news" from various sources.
10 Red Flags of Junk Science (ADA, 2006)
- Promises a quick fix
- Warnings from a single product or regimen
- Claims are too good to be true
- Simple conclusions from a complex study
- Endorsement based on a single study
- Claims are discredited by scientific organizations
- List of "good" and "bad" foods
- Sponsorship given to help sell a product
- Recommendations based on non-peer reviewed studies
- Recommendations from studies that ignore diversity among individuals or groups.
American Dietetic Association. Position of the American Dietetic Association: food and nutrition misinformation. J Am Diet Assoc 2006;106:601-607.
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