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Nutrition Claims: Fact or Fiction?

May 31 02:13am

It seems that not a day goes by when my mail isn't filled with magazines and fliers advertising new ways to improve my health and overall nutrition.

In fact, the American public is being constantly bombarded with health information in the media. While we can certainly trust some sources to provide us with sound health and nutrition advice, we need to be cautious because not everything you read or hear in the media is based on fact.

If you are not sure how to determine the truth of a claim, here are some tips to help you separate the good from the bad:

If a diet, product, or program promises dramatic results in a short time without your needing to change your eating habits or lifestyle choices, the claims are probably false. We know that in order to see lasting results, we must adopt long-term lifestyle modifications, including healthy nutrition habits and physical exercise. There is no magic bullet that will make you healthier overnight.
Be wary of claims that a specific product will increase health or speed up metabolism and so result in rapid weight loss. There is currently no research indicating that over-the-counter diet products can bring about major weight loss. In some cases, these supplements and drugs have turned out to be harmful.
Avoid products that use testimonials — either from celebrities or from regular folks — instead of scientific evidence to back up their claims.
Consider the source. If information about a product or diet is coming from the manufacturer and not an independent source, then the information is likely to be biased in order to make it sound more appealing to potential buyers.

Remember: There is no revolutionary new product that is going to help you get and stay healthy.

Instead of spending your hard-earned cash on unproven claims, spend some time learning about the simple ingredients of a healthy lifestyle: eat a balanced diet that's low in fat and exercise regularly. That's my tried and true advice, provided entirely free of charge!

41 Comments Report Abuse

1. whirinthelight - May 31 04:56am

Likewise, "consider the source" when a study is reported on the news. Who funded that study? What specifics were left out of the reporting? Sometimes it can be made to sound less than appealing to consumers like when they tell men to stop taking a multivitamin because it causes cancer to spread. It's very biased, slanted reporting. There's still a push to use scare tactics against vitamin users.

2. danielle_marie_bennett2007 - May 31 06:42am

that sounds right. i tried all of those diet thing s and they never worked.

3. jrdchiropractic - May 31 06:58am

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4. napoli_lindsay - May 31 07:31am

That is just common sense.

5. joanbev13 - May 31 11:20pm

It may just be common sense, but how many people have common sense today?

6. sherry8034@sbcglobal.net - Jun 08 10:23am

There is no such thing as an "obesity expert". Certain people have certain knowledge and advice but every person is an individual. You can eat all those foods they say are healthy and in the right amounts and still struggle with your weight.
If everyone listened and followed the advice of these so called experts there would still be obesity (especially since they call you obese at 20-30 lbs. overweight according to their set charts everyone is supposed to fit into).
If anyone calls themselves and "expert" run the other way.
It is okay to give advice as long as you don't claim to be an "expert" and have ALL the answers.
Isn't it amazing how many so called obese people do not have all the health problems they claim we will get? The women in my family have always been heavy and live into the 90s.
As a nutrition endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic told me in March, you just do the best you can.

7. smpawley - Jun 08 09:32pm

Lot's of common sense, but I do have a couple of thoughts. One is scientific information is absolutely necessary, but it vary rarely causes anyone to change anything. It takes something personal in that persons life or the life of someone they trust to motivate them to do something. (Example we ALL know how unhealthy smoking is and yet people still smoke.)

Secondly, the idea of being able to eat a "balanced diet" in this day and age is a pipe dream. According to USDA nutrition studies of raw foods in the last 20 years the foods have lost an average of 25% of their nutrative values. The same studies with simuliar results have been reported in Canada and England.

I do agree that we need to eat as healthy as possible and follow a healthy lifestyle, but it is impossible to get the quantity and quality of nutrients our bodies need to support proper cellular structure and function from the modern food production system. If there is a magic bullet for health the bullet would be ALL THE NUTRIENTS IN THE PROPER QUANTITY, EVERYDAY TO SUPPORT CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY FOR PROPER STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSES.

There is a huge number (100's of thousands) of scientific articles and research papers proving this. If you would like information visit this educational website: www.wellnessmatterseveryday.com

8. childofthalidomide - Jun 08 09:34pm

I love how, just slightly to the right of this article are online ads for Wu-Yi Tea, "15 lbs in three weeks-no diet" ads, and "Amazing weight loss secrets."

9. jstewart1028 - Jun 08 09:41pm

Please take care not to tell people to simply "eat a low fat diet". That is unhealthy. You should advise people to reduce saturated fats as much as possible while increasing the so-called healthy fats, especially monounsaturated and omega fatty acids. Dont discourage people from eating walnuts and almonds (both high in fat) which are extremely beneficial to overall health.