Do you feel duped by health claims & case studies?

Simple Living Book Club » In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan » Part I: The Age of Nutritionism

Do you feel duped by health claims & case studies?

(9 posts)

SimpleBites
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Whole grain goodness, high in Omega 3's, high-fiber, I've never paid much attention to health claims on packaging. Obviously if I'm in the junk food aisle I'm going nowhere be downhill, trans-fat or no trans-fat.

I guess that was why Pollan's exposure of modern nutritionism, didn't surprise me much; I had never put much faith in health claims anyway.

However, I was somewhat deflated to read 'Bad Science' and the shakiness of data received from case-studies.

"The...entire field of nutritional science rests on a foundation of ignorance and lies about the most basic question of nutrition: What are people eating?" P.76

How do you feel about the unreliable data in these health studies? Do you pay attention to health-related headlines? Will you still?

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Posted 4 months ago #
loreejo
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Reader

Nutrition education really seems to be about getting the "headlines" or a piece of the market. "Studies show..." is a big lead-in that lets me know I'm likely not interested in what follows. The number in the study, who conducts it, etc. all affect the outcome. But if the results are contradictory or "new", they make headlines and who doesn't want that? My biggest eye-opener has been recognizing the part played by our government. USDA guidelines, RDA and such aren't quite as important as I've given them the credit for based on now recognizing who compiles those groups; so I guess I do feel a bit duped. Sad thing is, my B.S is in Nutrition. So, as a college student, I fell for the guidelines hook, line and sinker. *slightly embarrassed*

Posted 4 months ago #
volleyt47
Member
Reader

I'm definitely disappointed to hear about the unreliable data. I tend to look at the source to judge the validity of the research, but after reading this chapter I guess the source doesn't really make that much of a difference anyway.

I think I was one of those people that did put a lot of faith into health-related scientific research, and now with some more knowledge I realize I shouldn't do that. Whom can we trust? Or should we just trust ourselves to use common sense, as Pollan explains?

I guess from now on I'll read the health-related headlines with a different perspective (or not read them quite as much). I think it will be more frustrating to read them and to not know how accurate they are.

Posted 4 months ago #
kcoleman
Member
Reader

My husband works in a field where he looks at test results and studies all the time, and he is always showing me how the numbers can be skewed to fit the message of the speaker. It really wasn't a surprise to me to see this happening in the field of nutrition science as well, but I was still appalled. I couldn't believe how ridiculous the survey questions were! If I had turned in something like that as part of my high school science fair project, the judges and my teacher would have given me a very poor grade indeed!

@loreejo, Speaking of USDA guidelines, have you watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (pulpy reality TV, I know I'm ashamed, but actually quite interesting)? In one episode the lady in charge of the school lunch program told him he couldn't serve a pasta dish with 7 different veggies in it because it didn't have enough veggies (one cup and 1/4 is required by the USDA), so they put french fries on the line! Yes, french fries were considered a vegetable!

Posted 4 months ago #
ladycop79
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Reader

My friends and family joke that my middle name is "jaded" and I have a degree in sociology, which came with all the requisite classes on statistics...I am VERY aware of how research can be skewed to represent whatever the researcher wants. I have also been a vegetarian for a couple of years (for anti-meat industry moral reasons other than animal rights reasons)so I have been very jaded about industry claims about "free-range", etc. for a while. I need to know and see things for myself to believe it!

Loreejo-your perspective from your background in nutrition will be interesting to hear!

Posted 4 months ago #
cleanlivinglady
Member
Reader

My husband is a physicist, so he is always saying "show me the numbers" when it comes to any scientific data. And it is true because so much of the food we buy at the store has had stuff added to it. Corn syrup, soy, etc. And none of it any good for you. But data is pretty much ignored unless you know what it means. For us, we here ads saying "now whole grain" and laugh. "Whole grain" only if you eat the WHOLE box!

Posted 4 months ago #
JenT
Member
Thinking Reader

I don't think I was very surprised either by the fact that the numbers and statistics can be used to show what they want, but I too was surprised by how the data was collected. I mean, I guess I knew that numbers can be interpreted however the researcher wants, but somehow, I thought (in my naive way) that the questionnaires would be designed ahead of time with more consideration - mind you, as I write this, I'm thinking to myself "consideration of what results they want to get". That in itself will skew the data.

Posted 4 months ago #
loreejo
Member
Reader

kcoleman, i sure did watch Jamie Oliver's show. i once considered going into the school program after completing my degree. unfortunately (fortunately?) like ladycop79, i became jaded before getting that far! how ridiculous was that R.D.? ladycop79, my husband laughs at me (lovingly) and says i'm starting to become a "conspiracy theorist" about food. he agrees tho that the health claims are bogus, he just likes to tease.

Posted 4 months ago #
organizedmama
Member
Thinking Reader

I was shocked to read that people are getting accustomed to having diseases from unhealthy eating and the Western diet. Then I was in a box store and saw how many products are made for people with diabetes in mind. I can see how people would find it easier to take medication than to lose weight and eat healthier because it is very hard to lose weight and much easier to eat what you want. But we need to make a change in our food consumption habits in the US, so that our children are more like our great grandparents in their eating habits, than like their grandparents.
I recently read Sara Snow Fresh Living and she covers a lot about this topic, so that is a good read too, if you have time and interest in better living.

Posted 3 months ago #