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Print Health News: Separating Fact from Fiction
TRUE or FALSE?
Oat bran lowers cholesterol.
Sugar causes hyperactivity.
Coffee causes cancer.
If you've based your answers on what you've heard in the media, you will probably answer true to all of these. Yet, oat bran only helps to lower cholesterol if coupled with a low fat, high fibre diet. Sugar has been found to have more of a calming effect than a hyperactive one. And, coffee has never been proven to actually cause cancer. In fact, it is extremely difficult to control for all of the other lifestyle factors involved in this disease,
Let's face it, health news is a hot topic. Media likes to be the first to report "new findings." But new findings can also create false hopes and unfounded fears for health-conscious readers. How do you really know what to believe? Well, ask yourself the following questions the next time you witness a health report.
1. Who Is the author? Does the author cite authorities? If the health claim involves food, the author should have an educational background in nutritional sciences. Reliable information comes from field experts.
2. Are the new findings the result of one single study? Is this the first study to show this result? It takes many years of research and multiple studies to draw credible conclusions. Don't change your lifestyle on the basis of a single report.
3. Do recognized health organizations endorse the findings? Look for statements issued by the Cancer Association, Heart and Stroke Association or Dietitians and Nutritionists Association to see whether they support or refute these new findings.
If very little detail is provided on the study, keep the following practical suggestions in mind. They just may help you to separate fact from fiction.
Be skeptical. Don't be too quick to believe in miracles. Beware of warning signs like, "thousands of people say", or "many groups claim". These claims are not founded in science.
Not all headlines apply to you. Preliminary findings are early findings, and most useful to researchers working in the field, not the general public.
Be leery of studies designed to sell a product. Truth can be embellished by those seeking profit.
Be aware of media literacy. Editors may substitute boring words like "suggests" or "may", in favour of more dramatic headlines like "proves" or "causes".
Use common sense. It has been found that heart attack rates are higher in countries with telephones. But that doesn't mean that phones actually cause heart attacks.
In summary, science is slow and steady and not a series of "dramatic breakthroughs".
So don't go changing your daily habits until you have identified the "truth" in health news. If you need further assistance, contact your local public health care provider.
~ Anita Romaniw, B.A.Sc., R.D.N., is the Community Nutritionist at the Upper Fraser Valley Health Unit in British Columbia, Canada.