Imagine that a friend tells you she was watching her favorite morning news program on television and saw a segment featuring a story on “surprising new findings” about the health benefits of a new over-the-counter product. She found the product at her local drugstore and shows you the package. What advice would you give her regarding her latest discovery?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Consumers get much of their nutrition information from Internet websites,
television news, and magazine articles, which have heightened awareness of
how diet influences the development of diseases. Consumers benefit from news
coverage of nutrition when they learn to make lifestyle changes that will
improve their health. Sometimes, however, popular reports mislead consumers
and create confusion. They often tell a lopsided story quickly instead of
presenting the integrated results of research studies or a balance of expert
opinions.
Tight deadlines and limited understanding sometimes make it difficult to provide
a thorough report. Hungry for the latest news, the media often report scientific
findings quickly and prematurely—without benefit of careful interpretation,
replication, or peer review. Usually, the reports present findings from a single,
recently released study, making the news current and controversial.
Consequently, the public receives diet and health news fast, but not always in
perspective. Reporters may twist inconclusive findings into “meaningful
discoveries” when pressured to write catchy headlines and sensational stories.
As a result, “surprising new findings” sometimes seem to contradict one
another, and consumers may feel frustrated and betrayed. Occasionally, the
reports are downright false, but more often the apparent contradictions are
simply the normal result of science at work. A single study contributes to the big
picture, but when viewed alone, it can easily distort the image. To be meaningful
the conclusions of any study must be presented cautiously within the context of
other research findings.
Additionally, there are eight red flags revealing nutrition quackery on product
packages or in marketing materials. These include: The word “natural,” quick
and easy fixes, the promise of satisfaction, the idea that one product does
everything, the notion of being time tested or brand new, paranoid accusations,
personal testimonials, and meaningless jargon.