When it comes to food and supplements, confusion abounds. One reason: Some ideas catch on and linger, despite iffy evidence or, worse yet, studies that prove them flat-out wrong. Here’s a handful of claims to doubt.
People are confused about diet and health, we often hear. One reason: the steady drumbeat of surprising news about the latest study—often about chocolate, cheese, sugar, ultra-processed foods, or some popular diet. Sometimes, it’s not a new study, but advice on news websites that muddies the picture. Here’s a sampling of the latest.
Covid is—and should be—the front-page health news. Yet new studies about diet and health still make headlines. Some reporters weed out the sketchy studies. Others can’t resist a juicy headline, especially when it’s about trendy topics like chocolate, full-fat dairy, diet drinks, or meat. Here’s how to see through a few of the latest.
Everyone eats. So news outlets know that the latest food study is likely to grab eyeballs. But sometimes the media doesn’t get it quite right. Sometimes they neglect to mention that the headline shocker comes from a study in test tubes or from a study that can’t prove cause and effect. Sometimes the study itself is at fault. Often, the media simply repeats a press release’s mistakes. Here are a few “Oops!” stories that confused many.
It’s no secret that surprising headlines sell. Sometimes the “wow” factor is enough to propel a still-shaky finding into the spotlight before it’s ready for prime time. Here’s the backstory on some recent studies that made the news.
Another day, another news flash. Never mind that the details may come straight from a press release designed to grab eyeballs. Are the results preliminary? Unpublished? Inconsistent with better research? Industry funded? Odds are, you’d never know it.
Another day, another study. The media can’t resist reporting the latest diet and health news, no matter how preliminary. Many reporters only read a press release about a study. They can’t tell how solid it is or if better studies disagree. If it’s click-worthy, it’s news.