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This is what I am about

If you asked most people, they would say they would love to eat better to be healthy. The problem is that there often in a disconnect between what people say they want and the implementation of this. There are lots of barriers that get in the way—too much information off the internet or in social media, lack of time to shop and cook, not knowing what to eat, being. With the increase of information available, both credible and non-credible sources of health and nutrition education are accessible with the click of a mouse. The amount of information has several consequences—it can give us great information that will be helpful to know (but with no clue how to make the adjustments practically in our lives), it can give us great information with a practical plan, it can give us false information (you can’t believe everything you read on the internet!) and it can mislead. How do you know what sources of information to trust?

First, look at who has written the article. Do they have qualifying credentials? The Registered Dietitian (RD or RDN) is a source to be trusted. To become an RD, one must complete a credentialed 4 year college program approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, approved internship (by the same accrediting body), pass a national exam given by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and complete continuing education requirements. Through this education, RD’s are qualified to translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. RD credentials are accepted in all 50 states.

Just because an author has an advanced degree does not mean that they are qualified to examine research and determine recommendations based on it. The degree may be in an area unrelated to science and nutrition. Most medical doctors do not receive much nutrition training through their education and, thus, rely on the expertise of RD’s in their practices and hospitals.

Further, an individual may have a nutrition credential that may not come from a legitimate college, university or program. To check the legitimacy of the credential, look at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (www.chea.org).

Another question to ask when reading nutrition information, is it written by a company trying to sell a product? Is there profit to be made by following the advice? Supplement companies often make health claims that have no basis in science. (Look at the fine print on supplement advertisements.) What type of research are the recommendations based on? Recommendations based on the testimonials of individuals is not scientific research and cannot be trusted to be valid.

Does the study have practical significance? It is possible that there may be statistical differences in the outcome of a well-designed research study looking at two different diets or different nutrient consumption without any practical significance to the overall health of the individual.

Through both my training to become an RD and the research experience I have had through my advanced degrees in nutrition, I can competently evaluate nutrition research, sift through the complexities of conflicting results, and recommend practical solutions and answers. I am saddened when I hear of people following misguided nutrition advice in their pursuit of health, listening to the voices on the internet instead of credible sources. Without training, it is difficult to know what sources of information are credible. After hearing the same advice over and over again, it becomes easy to start believing that it is true even if there is no basis for this. An individual giving nutrition advice who promotes and sells dietary supplements should be questioned as they have much to gain through their recommendations that result in sales.