Welcome to the Fresh Focus Podcast, I’m Erin, your host for today’s episode!

Something we see a lot as dietitians is nutrition misinformation. I come across it when I am scrolling on my social media, or my family brings information they have heard up to me, or even information Veterans say they have seen and ask me about in appointments. With all the information being shared, especially for something we all have in common like eating (we all have to eat multiple times a day), it can be hard to sort through everything we are seeing.

When it comes to our body and health decisions, many people rely on doing their own research, especially for something that tends to be easier for us to control such as choosing what foods and drinks we consume. Science is complicated and scientific research can be difficult to critically evaluate. Especially for nutrition, many aspects of the wellness industry are unregulated. These include supplements and supplement companies, people that refer to themselves as nutritionsits or nutrition experts, social media influencers, etc. This means anyone there are many people on the internet who claim to be experts but are in fact not evidenced based. So with all the nutrition information out there, how do we know which experts to trust or how to tell a credible source from a non-credible source?

Here are some red flags to be cautious of when looking at nutrition information:
1. Be wary of articles that send you or link you to a sales portal to buy a specific product that supports the authors opinon, especially when any sponsorships or their financial incentives are not clearly disclosed.
2. Look out for recommendations that promise a quick fix or other claims that sound too good to be true. When you hear a claim like "Lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks!", that promises a quick or extreme outcome and should always signal a red flag. Sometime, not always, these claims work however how they probably are not sustainable, realistic, and may even be dangerous in some cases.
3. Be skeptical of click bait. Oftentimes we see the media make dramatic statements that may not be backed up from reputable scientific organizations, research or expert opinion. A headline like “Eating chocolate with keep you thin and healthy” is usually written to grab the audience’s interest.
4. Similarly, notice information that draws conclusions from a single study or draws very simplistic conclusions from complex studies – this is very common in the media. Complex science is often simplified for the sake of a clear, public health message. But that simplification often makes things more confusing for people than it helps. Ask yourself “Does this conclusion to a complex issue seem too simple or easy?” For example a headline like “Taking Vitamin C can prevent cold and flu”, in general a complex issue like a flu won’t be easily solved by a simple trick like starting to take Vitamin C.
5. The next red flag is lists of “good” and “bad” foods. Labelling food in terms of good and bad can often be restrictive and misleading. We’re better off viewing foods and meals in terms of better and worse. Everything exists on a spectrum. Therefore, a list that limts everything to good and bad isn’t going to teach you how food can go together, how to be flexible, and most importlantly, how to have a healthy relationship to food. The same can be said for superfood lists.
6. Watch for information that provides non-science based testemonials to support a diet or wellness products, like using celebrities or highly satisfied customers as the only quote, unquote evidence. Remember anecdotes or testimonitals are not evidence, and because someone claimed it worked for them doesn’t mean that a diet, food, or strategy will work for you or is supported by the science. Make sure you consult with your providers before starting a new diet, supplements, etc. It’s important to remember some people can maintain a certain look, athletic ability, etc. with very little effort or because of genetics, and they assume that what they are doing is the answer and will work for everyone, and this simply isn’t the case. A poorly built nutrition plan, exercise routine, etc. is still poor, even if it’s being marketed by a high level athlete or other personality. Along those same lines, many people will start a new diet/exercise routine, have success, and then start pushing that routine to others. Always remember that losing weight, or getting in shape, does not make that person a health expert, much like buying a camera doesn’t automatically make you a photographer. Their advice (like all information) should be received and evaluated with caution.

Now that we know what to look out for as red flags, here are some tips for finding credible sources when you are seeking nutrition information:
1. A good place to start is to look for information written by experts in the field. Check for authors with the MD, PhD, or RD/RDN credentials. Look at the authors qualifications. Ideally they should be educated in the field of nutrition and dietetics and preferrably hold a degree from accredited university, such as a registered dietitian. You can also check to see if they belong to a credible nutrition organization like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
2. Second: Look for articles that cite their sources. A trusted source should cite actual published peer reviewed articles as their sources, not just blogs quoting other blogs. Make sure the information is referenced with cited sources.
3. On that same note, look for authors who will provide contradicting, or at least acknowledge, when the research on a topic is still new or poor quality. Seek out multiple perspectives regarding nutrition advice, and ask a nutrition expert about the source of the findings. Remember to ensure that the information is current and informing, not attempting to advertise or sell a product.
4. Use websites from credible web addresses ending in .edu (an educational institution), .gov (government agency). Any web pages that end in .com or .net should be reviewed critically with caution.
5. Finally, remember good information is collected from a variety of sources that agree on a topic/outcome. One data point, study, or personal experience is not enough to establish a strong correlation.
We’ve covered a lot of important information in this episode- why nutrition information is confusing, how to critcially judge the nutrition information by looking for red flags and what to look for in credible sources . If you have any questions, want support weeding through nutrition information or need personal recommendations, feel free to contact your local VA dietitian! Thank you for listening to Fresh Focus, please like and subscribe to this podcast, rate the series and leave a review!