Today, you would be hard-pressed to find an experienced health/sports nutritionist or exercise scientist who has not answered multiple questions from individuals about a specific diet or supplement they heard about on social media that, despite what the source claimed, has no health or performance benefit, or worse, could be detrimental to health.
It can be frustrating following a specific diet because it was recommended on social media or a podcast to realise it provided none of the promised results. it's shameful and negligent when these strategies can negatively impact health.
The Communication Gap
Regrettably, part of the responsibility falls on the poor communication of scientific discoveries between researchers and practitioners to the public. Many important advancements in health and sports nutrition do not reach those who would benefit the most, or they are delivered in an uninteresting way. This problem is worsened by the growing presence of non-expert sources online, like social media influencers and health gurus, who frequently spread inaccurate or misleading information. They often offer overly simplified solutions that seem "too good to be true" to quickly capitalise on people's desire for an easy answer to a complex issue.
The Rise of Online Health and Nutrition Misinformation
With their extensive reach and algorithm-driven content, social media platforms have become fertile ground for misinformation. Although a wealth of quality information is available, it is frequently overshadowed by lower-quality content filled with online nutrition misinformation. Recent studies indicate that much online nutrition advice lacks quality and accuracy.
The Emergence of Yellow Journalism
Yellow journalism is a reporting style characterised by sensationalism, exaggeration, and a lack of factual accuracy. This style of reporting often promotes unverified or outright false health claims, such as miracle cures or dangerous diets, which can lead people to make harmful decisions about their health and nutrition. Additionally, sensationalised reporting can create unnecessary fear and anxiety about food safety or specific ingredients, leading to poor dietary choices and potentially harmful behaviours.
Furthermore, sensationalised reporting on fad diets or weight loss trends can encourage people to adopt unhealthy or unsustainable eating habits. Misinformation about specific foods or nutrients can lead to dietary imbalances and potential nutrient deficiencies. To protect yourself from the negative impacts of yellow journalism on your health and nutrition, it's important to verify information from multiple reputable sources, consult qualified healthcare professionals and registered dietitians, be critical of sensationalised headlines and exaggerated claims, and support reputable news organisations that prioritise accuracy and fact-checking.
Recent Findings on Nutrition Misinformation: What Did the Research Reveal?
The Overwhelming Volume of Online Information could be better.
A recent study by Denniss et al. (2024) analysed 676 social media posts and found that:
34.8% were poor quality.
59.2% were mediocre quality.
Only 6.1% were rated as good quality.
No posts achieved an excellent quality rating.
44.7% of posts contained inaccuracies.
The Credibility Gap:
Content from qualified nutrition professionals generally outperformed that from brands and other accounts regarding quality and accuracy.
The Misleading Appeal of Misinformation:
Lower-quality posts often garnered higher engagement rates, highlighting the challenge of distinguishing credible information from misinformation.
The Limitations of Verification:
Account verification, follower count, and engagement metrics did not correlate with information quality or accuracy.
The Supplement Dilemma:
Information regarding supplements was found to be less reliable than information about weight loss and other nutrition topics.
Additional research:
Another study by the same group also conducted a systematic review (Denniss et al., 2023) of 64 studies examined information from websites and social media, assessing both quality and accuracy.
The findings revealed that nearly half of the information on websites and social media was either insufficient quality or contained inaccuracies.
Nearly half of the studies reported:
Low quality (48.8%)
Or low accuracy (48.9%)
While quality and accuracy were comparable across platforms, they varied significantly between information providers.
How can we verify if a source of nutrition information is trustworthy?
Here's how to assess the reliability of nutrition information found online:
1. Check the Source:
Who is the author?
Seek authors with qualifications such as Registered Nutritionist, Dietitian, or an advanced degree relevant to the field (e.g., PhD or Doctorate in Nutrition).
Who is the publisher?
Websites such as Government (.gov) (e.g., National Institutes of Health) or Educational institutions (.edu) (e.g., university health centers) often provide accurate information. Also Non-profit organisations (.org) can be good sources. Commercial websites (.com) may have biases, especially if they sell products e.g. specific supplements or diets "everyone should be ketogenic". Be critical.
Example of a Reliable Source:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) website: https://www.nih.gov/
Example of a Less Reliable Source:
A social media post by someone without nutrition credentials making extreme claims about a specific diet.
2. Look for Evidence:
Is the information scientifically supported?
Does the article cite studies or research?
Does it steer clear of sensationalism or exaggerated claims?
Be wary of "miracle cures" or overly simplistic advice. If ia specific diet or supplement sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
Does it demonise certain foods?
Lower quality sources often discuss food as "good and bad" rather than a nuanced and subjective apporach.
Is the information balanced?
Reliable sources acknowledge both the benefits and potential drawbacks of different approaches.
3. Consider the Date:
Is the information current?
Nutrition science is constantly evolving. Look for recent publications.
4. Be Wary of Bias:
Is the source attempting to sell something?
Be skeptical of websites promoting specific products or diets, do they sell that particular diet or supplement. Who benefits from this information?
5. Cross-Reference:
Avoid depending on a single source.
Check information from multiple credible websites to see if it's consistent.
Important Tip:
If you are worried about a particular dietary modification, it is advisable to seek advice from a qualified professional.
By checking the source, evidence, and potential biases, you can increase your confidence in the accuracy of online nutrition information.
References
Denniss et al., 2023
Denniss et al., 2024
Tiller et al., 2024
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