You've just picked up a recent issue of a popular celebrity gossip magazine. As you're reading about the latest make-ups and break-ups, you come across an article on how to look like your favorite celebrities. The article offers a complete nutrition and fitness regimen, guaranteed to work in just two weeks! You step back for a moment and think to yourself, "Hmmm..."
Fact versus Fiction: What is nutrition misinformation?
According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), scientifically sound nutrition information results from application of the scientific method that can also withstand peer review. Nutrition misinformation, however, consists of invalid information and usually misinterpreted food and nutrition science. The ADA's position paper on handling nutrition misinformation suggests, "This misinformation may be harmful to the health of individuals, or [can] be used to fuel food faddism, quackery, or health fraud." Nutrition misinformation should be recognized as a potentially serious issue, especially when addressing certain populations, such as college students.
The Popularity Factor: Where is most nutrition and health information sought out?
The ADA's "Nutrition and You: Trends 2000" survey revealed that the top three sources of nutrition and health information utilized by adults included television (48 percent), magazines (47 percent), and newspapers (18 percent). Approximately half of the individuals polled for this survey replied that the primary source of nutrition and health information was gathered through the written word - particularly magazines.
But, is the information offered in these magazines realistic? Do these sources provide sound information that promotes a healthier lifestyle? According to Patricia Engel, a registered dietitian at Tufts, it depends on the article and how it was written. "It is hard to take anything you read as truth," Engel said. "Since you do not have to have credentials to give information or offer advice."
Where do students fit in?
So, what is a student to do? Constantly bombarded with an overload of health and nutrition information, how do you differentiate the good from the bad? For starters, students need to learn how to recognize science-based advice. It is important to carefully examine the information and try to determine fact from speculation.
First, you should always question the source of the information. Ask yourself who wrote the article and what references were used. Did the writer or the sources referenced have medical experience, credentials, etc.? Second, try to research the topic a bit more on your own. The ADA Web site (http://www.eatright.org) is one resource to search for validation of nutrition information.
"Unfortunately, there are not many dependable nutrition and health sources intended for the student population," said Kimberley Hodgson, a public health nutritionist. Among the more trustworthy sources that Hodgson recommends - though not often first on students' reading lists: Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, Nutrition Action Newsletter, University of California at Berkeley's Wellness Letter, Mayo Clinic, American Cancer Society newsletter and the American Heart Association newsletter. In terms of more mainstream publications popular among students, Hodgson said there are a few that are better than others, including SELF Magazine, Health Magazine, Cooking Light and Men's Health.
Other Sources?
What about other magazines, not necessarily specific to health and nutrition - for example, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle and VOGUE? How do these magazines compare? Hodgson, for one, does not recommend that students gather nutrition or health related information from fashion magazines. "In my experience they tend to sensationalize topics and take nutrition information out of context," she said.
Engel agreed. "These magazines tend to be more fad-like and do not play a good role in promoting good health and nutrition. Often these magazines promote bad [or] distorted body image support," she said.
Both Engel and Hodgson suggest that the easiest way to determine the validity of the magazine's health and nutrition information is to look inside the front cover of the magazine for publishing information. Is there a food, nutrition, health or fitness editor? Does he or she have an RD, MD or other reputable credential? Who is on the advisory board? Are they well respected in their field? If you are able to find solid answers to these few questions, then the magazine can be considered a reasonably sound source.
Mary Nicole Henderson is graduate student at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and a dietetic intern at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts-New England Medical Center.
