The document discusses junk science related to food and diets. It defines diet and provides guidelines for selecting food. It lists the top fad diets from 2009 and notes that junk science claims often promise quick fixes, sound too good to be true, or are based on single studies. The document outlines 10 red flags for identifying junk science, such as simplistic conclusions, recommendations to help sell products, or ignoring individual differences. It instructs readers to analyze diet advertisements for claims raising red flags and explains why those claims should be disregarded.
3. Diet
Webster says:
1. Diet is the food and
drink regularly
provided or
consumed
2. Diet is the kind and
amount of food
prescribed for a
special reason 3
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5. provides timely and objective
food and nutrition
information for consumers,
and health professionals.
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6. Red Flags
for Junk Science
1. Recommendations that promise a quick
fix
2. Dire warnings of danger from a single
product or regiment
3. Claims that sound too good to be true
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7. 7
Red Flags
for Junk Science
4. Simplistic conclusions drawn from
a complex study
5. Recommendations based on a
single study
6. Dramatic statements that are
refuted by reputable scientific
organizations
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8. Red Flags
for Junk Science
7. Lists of “good” and “bad” foods
8. Recommendations made to help sell a
product
9. Recommendations based on studies
published without peer review
10.Recommendations from studies that
ignore differences among individuals or
groups
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9. Use media to find:
Food supplement and diet advertisements
Determine if the claims raise a red flag
Make a copy of the ad
What statements raise a red flag for you?
Why would you disregard the claim?
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10. Use media to find:
Food supplement and diet advertisements
Determine if the claims raise a red flag
Make a copy of the ad
What statements raise a red flag for you?
Why would you disregard the claim?
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Editor's Notes
Not everything we read or see on television or the Internet is good science. In fact, there is a lot of just plain JUNK around. A lot of that junk is related to what we eat, or our diets.
Long before the discovery of vitamins and minerals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its first dietary recommendations in 1894.
In 1916, the first food guide, called “Food For Young Children” was published. The author, Caroline Hunt, who was also a nutritionist, divided food into 5 groups: milk and meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, fats and fatty foods, and sugars and sugary foods.
Today we have the Internet, where there is a lot of information about foods and diets. Not all of that information on the Internet is good information on which to base what we eat.
Definitions of diet provided by the dictionary. We will be examining diet claims to determine if they are valid or “just junk”.
This chart shows the top 10 daily online searches for diets on Google during 2009. Unfortunately there are a lot of misleading claims about diets on the Internet.
The American Dietetics Association (ADA) is a premiere source for information about diets and food intake. It provides timely and objective information. The ADA is a credible source of information for consumers and health professionals.
Ask students what ads they have seen that have health claims. Ask them to bring them to class to share with other students.
Stop the PowerPoint at this time. The last slides will be used later.
When seeking information about food and diets people need to be able to distinguish between credible and factual information and the junk science. These are the warning signs of junk science.
Have students work as a group or independently in class or assign as homework.