Nutrition advice can’t make up its mind. There was a day – not that long ago – when fat made you fat. But then avocados became America’s darling and dairy fat was linked to lower levels of abdominal fat, a marker of overall health status. And everyone scratched their heads when, recently, an Annals of Internal Medicine meta-analysis of more than half a million people concluded that saturated fat doesn’t increase your risk of heart disease.
It’s a far-too familiar story – repeating itself with everything from coffee and wine to carbs and beans. It’s exhausting, confusing and, unfortunately, ends with many consumers just throwing their hands up in the air and ignoring even tried-and-true advice like “eat more fruits and veggies,” according to research published in the Journal of Health Communication in 2014.
Why Is Nutrition Advice So Conflicting?
Here are three reasons why nutrition advice can be so conflicting – and how to make sense of it all in the name of better health.
1. Nutrition Research Is Still Pretty New
Compared to other sciences, nutrition research is very much in the early stages, with scientific studies on food intake only going back to the end of the 19th century.
“Researchers have only been studying some nutrients, such as trans fats and artificial sweeteners, for a few decades,” says registered dietitian Wesley Delbridge, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
However, reliable scientific conclusions depend on myriad studies turning up the same results time and time again. For instance, it took decades for the U.S. Dietary Guidelines to reflect research findings that eggs and cholesterol do not negatively influence blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease, he says.
The solution: Know that no single nutrition study is the be-all, end-all, he says. When you hear nutrition advice, ask yourself (or the person giving you the advice) how those recommendations fit into the grand scheme of past research and scientific opinion. Don’t change your entire nutrition approach because of one study.
2. Headlines Are Commonly Overblown or Oversimplified
Unfortunately, in a click-bait world, many publications and bloggers are quick to hype up small studies as conclusive or claim that one nutrient causes x, y or z, when, in actuality, the association is much more complicated, Delbridge says.
“The media pool is so much bigger than it’s ever been, and so much nutrition content is being produced. It’s hard to publish a nutrition story with any success unless it’s exciting or controversial or will go viral,” he says. “It’s frustrating. I have family members who love and trust me, but they don’t listen to my nutrition advice because they are looking at headlines on their friend’s Facebook page that are catchier or promise that they will lose 10 pounds in a weekend.”
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The solution: Seek out credible and unbiased news reports, being cautious of nutrition coverage that does not include credible experts ( such as medical doctors and registered dietitians), explain study methodology or discuss previous research. And if it sounds too good to be true, it generally is, Delbridge says. Some red flags: Assertions that a dietary approach will result in “fast” weight loss; recommendations to eliminate whole food groups; or claims that a single nutrient is the answer.
3. Everyone Is Selling Something
Similarly, it’s important to remember that the nutrition industry is just that: an industry. The people in it are trying to make money, just like everyone else. While that even holds true for credible, well-educated doctors, researchers, dietitians, trainers and other professionals, it also holds true for food manufacturers who use hard-to-define labels like “natural” in order to boost sales as well as “experts” whose only nutrition credential is a dubious weekend certification.
Meanwhile, many nutrition personalities have built their career around a specific diet approach and will continue to promote it (perhaps truly believing it is healthy or even the best dietary strategy) despite evidence to the contrary. In some cases, the diet has worked for them and they are passionate about spreading the word to others. But that doesn’t mean it is sound or safe for everyone, Delbridge says.
The solution: When reading or listening to nutritional advice from any “nutritional expert,” ask yourself, “What are this person’s qualifications?” Look for credentials such as professor, medical doctor, registered dietitian and board-certified sports dietitian, and college degrees from reputable institutions, he says. Then ask, “What is this person trying to sell me?” While many reputable nutrition experts have written diet or food books, few sell actual products and even fewer (i.e. virtually zero) encourage you to become an “ambassador” and sell their diet program or supplements.
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Originally written for USNews and World Report