Fact or Myth?

My sister (also a Registered Dietitian) and I have been wanting to do a post about this for awhile now. We collaborated on this and here is what we came up with:

I am not saying this to brag, but to let you know that I feel like I have the credentials to make a post on this. I am a Registered Dietitian (a.k.a. Nutritionist) and I have a Master's Degree in Nutrition Science. Since becoming a dietitian, I have been amazed at how much nutrition misinformation there is out there. In the newspapers, TV, Internet-- and especially on social networking sites such as Facebook, I have been bombarded with inaccurate, misleading, and often downright dangerous health information. What is disturbing about the misleading information on Facebook, is that it comes from our "friends"-- and a recent study about health behaviors reported that most patients believed health advice from friends and family over health professionals. So here is some advice from your friend who is also a health professional on how to sift through nutrition information. It's in my favorite format-- a list:

1. Does the information have references? If you are reading an article and they are spouting statistics left and right with no references, either in the article or after, you need to be wary. Especially if the statistics are outrageous. Testimonials DO NOT count as references. Here is a perfect example: A recent article I read on the Paleo diet website says this: "Gluten causes gut inflammation in at least 80% of the population..." Then there is no reference. In fact, the article contains ZERO references. I did a little research on the website of the American Gastroenterology Association and their 2011 Position Statement estimates that it is more like 1 in 100 (or 1%) and they have a bazillion references to back it up.

2. If the article has references, what are they? Are they trusted professional organizations (i.e. American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Dietetics Association, Professional (peer-reviewed) Journals, Universities, etc.)? Which brings me to my next point--

3. Who sponsored the article? Is there a conflict of interest? If Tropicana Orange Juice sponsors a study that finds that drinking juices with Vitamin C cures cancer (that is obviously bogus but you get the picture) then you need to think twice before accepting the information.

4. How many studies reached the same conclusion? In the academic world one study means nothing unless multiple studies continue to get the same results. One study's nutrition information should not be what you are basing your health behaviors off of.

5. How many participants were in the study? Were there 10 or 1,000? Small studies often do not contain enough participants to reach valid conclusions or statistical significance.

6. Does the information violate all known biochemical or physiological laws? Let me explain. I think everyone should have to take a basic biochemistry or human physiology course. Just knowing basics about how our bodies function can help us. Take this example for instance: A fad diet claims that we can lose 10 pounds in 3 days. In order for us to lose 1 pound of FAT, it takes a negative energy balance of roughly 3,500 calories. So is it really physiologically possible to burn 35,000 calories in 3 days? No. If you lose that much weight it is because you are dehydrated. See? Basics.

7. This goes along with #3, but is the organization who is giving you the information trying to sell you something or get YOU to sell something FOR them?

8. And finally....Does it sound too good to be true? Then it is. Promise. Pinky swear. Cross my heart.

If we would all be a little wiser with what we choose to believe, there would be a lot less nutrition misinformation available. Just because you find an article in a magazine or newspaper or hear something on the evening news doesn't make it true. Be careful what you believe (and especially what you act on) when it comes to nutrition. Your health depends on it.