How To Sort Out Nutrition Information

Here are some tips for putting nutrition news stories into perspective:

Regard the headline or the television promotion as a piece of advertising, not as an actual synopsis. It’s just an inducement to read on or stay tuned.

Always question the source of the information. Does the information come from an accredited university, institution or person? Has it been approved for a peer-reviewed journal or other publication? Are the people quoted not just degree-holders but experts in the particular subject matter of the report? Do any of those involved have a financial or professional interest in the what’s being promoted?

Look at the way any study or experiment was conducted.

Were there enough participants to justify the conclusions? Was it random? Did the researchers account for possible flaws or confounding factors? Was the duration long enough to provide good results?

How does the report fit with other information about the same subject? Is it supported by similar research? If it contradicts other studies, do the researchers offer good explanations why?

Nutrition science - as precise as some of its studies tend to be - is not exact. Confusion exists in science as it does in other areas of information. News reports are just immediate peeks at things that may change or be further illuminated later.

Be a healthy skeptic rather than an inflexible cynic. You may indeed decide to change your lifestyle based on changes in nutrition information, but before making radical alterations, look at as much data as you can.

True breakthroughs are rare: Things billed as miracles or magic probably should be thrown out the window like Jack’s beans.