4/18/2021 Print Preview Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human Health: 1-8a More than Money at Stake Book Title: Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies Printed By: Alvard Tsaturyan (alla.tsaturyan1@gmail.com) © 2020 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning 1-8a More than Money at Stake When scam products are garden tools or stain removers, hoodwinked consumers may lose a few dollars and some pride. When the products are ineffective, untested, or even hazardous “dietary supplements” or “medical devices,” consumers stand to lose the very thing they are seeking: good health. When a sick person wastes time with quack treatments, serious problems can advance while proper treatment is delayed. And ill-advised “dietary supplements” have inflicted dire outcomes, even liver failure, on previously well people who took them in hopes of improving their health. Who speaks on nutrition? Atstock Productions/ Shutterstock.com Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human Health: 1-8a More than Money at Stake Book Title: Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies Printed By: Alvard Tsaturyan (alla.tsaturyan1@gmail.com) © 2020 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning © 2021 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner – without the written permission of the copyright holder. https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html? Recommendations by the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Discussion

eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 1/1 4/18/2021 Print Preview Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human Health: 1-8c Nutrition on the Net Book Title: Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies Printed By: Alvard Tsaturyan (alla.tsaturyan1@gmail.com) © 2020 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning 1-8c Nutrition on the Net If you have a question, the World Wide Web on the Internet has an answer. The “Net” offers convenient access to reliable reports of scientific research published in refereed journals, but it also delivers an abundance of incomplete, misleading, or inaccurate information. Simply put: anyone can publish anything on the Internet. For example, popular selfgoverned Internet “encyclopedia” websites allow anyone to post information or change others’ postings on all topics. Information on the sites may be correct, but it may not be— readers must evaluate it for themselves. Table C1–3 provides some clues to judging the reliability of nutrition information websites. Table C1–3 Is This Site Reliable? To judge whether an Internet site offers reliable nutrition information, answer the following questions. Who? Who is responsible for the site? Is it staffed by qualified professionals? Look for the authors’ names and credentials. Have experts reviewed the content for accuracy? When? When was the site last updated? Because nutrition is an ever-changing science, sites need to be dated and updated frequently. Where? Where is the information coming from? The three letters following the dot in a Web address identify the site’s affiliation. Addresses ending in “gov” (government), “edu” (educational institute), and “org” (organization) generally provide reliable information; “com” (commercial) sites represent businesses and, depending on their qualifications and integrity, may or may not offer dependable information. Many reliable sites provide links to other sites to facilitate your quest for knowledge, but this provision alone does not guarantee a reputable intention. Be aware that any site can link to any other site without permission. https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 1/3 4/18/2021 Print Preview Why? Why is the site giving you this information? Is the site providing a public service or selling a product? Many commercial sites provide accurate information, but some do not. When money is the prime motivation, be aware that the information may be biased. Recommendations by the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Discussion

What? What is the message, and is it in line with other reliable sources? Information that contradicts common knowledge should be questioned. Personal Internet sites, known as “weblogs” or “blogs,” contain the authors’ personal opinions and are often not reviewed by experts before posting. In addition, e-mail messages often circulate hoaxes and scare stories. Be suspicious when: Someone other than the sender or some authority you know wrote the contents. A phrase like “Forward this to everyone you know” appears anywhere in the piece. The piece states, “This is not a hoax”; chances are it is. The information seems shocking or something that you’ve never heard from legitimate sources. The language is overly emphatic or sprinkled with capitalized words or exclamation marks. No references are offered or, if present, prove to be of questionable validity when examined. Websites such as www.quackwatch.org or www.urbanlegends.com have debunked the message. In contrast, one of the most trustworthy Internet sites for scientific investigation is the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed website, which provides free access to over 10 million abstracts (short descriptions) of research papers published in scientific journals around the world. Many abstracts provide links to full articles posted on other sites. The site is easy to use and offers instructions for beginners. Figure C1–2 introduces this resource. Figure C1–2 PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed): Internet Resource for Scientific Nutrition References https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 2/3 4/18/2021 Print Preview The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s PubMed website offers tutorials to help teach beginners to use the search system effectively. Often, simply visiting the site, typing a query in the search box, and clicking Search will yield satisfactory results. For example, to find research concerning calcium and bone health, typing in “calcium bone” nets almost 3,000 results. To refine the search, try setting limits on dates, types of articles, languages, and other criteria to obtain a more manageable number of abstracts to peruse. Courtesy of National Center for Biotechnology Information Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human Health: 1-8c Nutrition on the Net Book Title: Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies Printed By: Alvard Tsaturyan (alla.tsaturyan1@gmail.com) © 2020 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning © 2021 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner – without the written permission of the copyright holder. Recommendations by the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Discussion

https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 3/3 4/18/2021 Print Preview Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human Health: 1-8b Information Sources Book Title: Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies Printed By: Alvard Tsaturyan (alla.tsaturyan1@gmail.com) © 2020 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning 1-8b Information Sources When questions about nutrition arise, most people consult the Internet, a popular book or magazine, or television for the answer. Sometimes these sources provide sound, scientific, trustworthy information. More often, though, infomercials (feature-length television commercials that follow the format of regular programs but are intended to convince viewers to buy products and not to educate or entertain them.) , advertorials (lengthy advertisements in newspapers and magazines that read like feature articles but are written for the purpose of touting the virtues of products and may or may not be accurate.) , and urban legends (stories, usually false, that may travel rapidly throughout the world via the Internet, gaining the appearance of validity solely on the basis of repetition.) pretend to inform but in fact aim primarily to sell products by making fantastic promises of health or weight loss with minimal effort and at bargain prices. Table C1–1 Quackery Terms advertorials lengthy advertisements in newspapers and magazines that read like feature articles but are written for the purpose of touting the virtues of products and may or may not be accurate. anecdotal evidence information based on interesting and entertaining, but not scientific, personal stories. critical thinking the mental activity of rationally and skillfully analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information. fraud or quackery the promotion, for financial gain, of devices, treatments, services, plans, or products (including diets and supplements) claimed to improve health, well-being, or appearance without proof of safety or effectiveness. Recommendations by the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Discussion

(The word quackery comes from the term quacksalver, meaning a person who quacks loudly about a miracle product—a lotion or a salve.) https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 1/5 4/18/2021 Print Preview infomercials feature-length television commercials that follow the format of regular programs but are intended to convince viewers to buy products and not to educate or entertain them. urban legends stories, usually false, that may travel rapidly throughout the world via the Internet, gaining the appearance of validity solely on the basis of repetition. How can people learn to distinguish valid nutrition information from misinformation? Some quackery is easy to identify—like the claims of the salesman in Figure C1–1—whereas other types are more subtle. Between the extremes of accurate scientific data and intentional quackery lies an abundance of nutrition misinformation. An instructor at a gym, a physician, a health-food store clerk, an author of books, or an advocate for a “cleansing diet” product or weight-loss gadget may sincerely believe that the recommended nutrition regimen is beneficial. But what qualifies these people to give nutrition advice? Would following their advice be helpful or harmful? To sift meaningful nutrition information from rubbish, you must learn to identify both. Figure C1–1 Earmarks of Nutrition Quackery https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 2/5 4/18/2021 Print Preview Chapter 1 explained that valid nutrition information arises from scientific research and does not rely on anecdotal evidence (information based on interesting and entertaining, but not scientific, personal stories.) or testimonials. Table C1–2 lists some sources of such authentic nutrition information. Table C1–2 Credible Sources of Nutrition Information Government agencies, volunteer associations, consumer groups, and professional organizations provide consumers with reliable health and nutrition information. Credible sources of nutrition information include: • Nutrition and food science departments at a university or community college • Local agencies such as the health department or County Cooperative Extension Service • Government resources such as: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) www.cdc.gov www.usda.gov www.hhs.gov https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 3/5 4/18/2021 Print Preview Department of Agriculture (USDA) Department of Health and fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance www.fda.gov Human Services (DHHS) www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php Dietary Guidelines for www.healthypeople.gov Americans Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Health Canada Healthy People https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ www.choosemyplate.gov www.nih.gov www.health.gov/paguidelines Let’s Move! MyPlate National Institutes of Health Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans • Volunteer health agencies such as: American Cancer Society www.cancer.org American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org American Heart Association www.heart.org/HEARTORG • Recommendations by the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Discussion

Reputable consumer groups such as: www.acsh.org American Council on Science and Health www.foodinsight.org International Food Information Council • Professional health organizations such as: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics American Medical Association www.eatright.org www.ama-assn.org www.dietitians.ca https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 4/5 4/18/2021 Print Preview Dietitians of Canada • Journals such as: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Journal of the Academy of ajcn.nutrition.org www.andjrnl.org Nutrition and Dietetics www.nejm.org New England Journal of www.ilsi.org Medicine Nutrition Reviews Identifying nutrition misinformation requires more than simply gathering accurate information, though. It also requires you to develop skills in critical thinking (the mental activity of rationally and skillfully analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information.) . Critical thinking allows a person who has gathered information to: Understand how concepts are related. Evaluate the pros and cons of an argument. Detect inconsistencies and errors in thinking. Solve problems. Judge the relevance of new information. This book’s Controversy sections are dedicated to helping you to develop your critical thinking skills. Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human Health: 1-8b Information Sources Book Title: Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies Printed By: Alvard Tsaturyan (alla.tsaturyan1@gmail.com) © 2020 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning © 2021 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner – without the written permission of the copyright holder. https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 5/5 4/18/2021 Print Preview Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human Health: 1-8e Detecting Fake Credentials Book Title: Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies Printed By: Alvard Tsaturyan (alla.tsaturyan1@gmail.com) © 2020 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning 1-8e Detecting Fake Credentials In contrast to RDNs and other credentialed nutrition professionals, thousands of people possess fake nutrition degrees and claim to be nutrition counselors, nutritionists, or “dietists.” These and other such titles may sound meaningful, but most of these people lack the established credentials of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics–sanctioned dietitians. If you look closely, you can see signs that their expertise is fake. Educational Background A fake nutrition expert may display a degree from a six-week course of study; such a degree is simply not the same as the extensive requirements for legitimate nutrition credentials. In some cases, schools posing as legitimate institutions are actually diploma mills (an organization that awards meaningless degrees without requiring students to meet educational standards. Diploma mills are not the same as diploma forgers (providing fake diplomas and certificates bearing the names of real, respected institutions). Although visually indistinguishable from authentic diplomas, forgeries can be unveiled by checking directly with the institution.) —fraudulent businesses that sell certificates of competency to anyone who pays the fees, from under a thousand dollars for a bachelor’s degree to several thousand for a doctorate. To obtain these “degrees,” a candidate need not read any books or pass any examinations, and the only written work is a signature on a check. Here are a few red flags to identify these scams: A degree is awarded in a very short time—sometimes just a few days. A degree can be based entirely on work or life experience. An institution provides only an e-mail address, with vague information on physical location. It provides sample styles of certificates and diplomas for choosing. It offers a choice of graduation dates to appear on a diploma. Selling degrees is big business; networks of many bogus institutions are often owned by a single entity. In 2011, more than 2,600 such diploma and accreditation mills were identified, and 2,000 more were under investigation. Accreditation and Licensure Lack of proper accreditation is the identifying sign of a fake educational institution. To guard educational quality, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 1/5 4/18/2021 Print Preview certifies those schools that meet the criteria defining a complete and accurate schooling, but in the case of nutrition, quack accrediting agencies cloud the picture. Fake nutrition degrees are available from schools “accredited” by more than 30 phony accrediting agencies. State laws do not necessarily help consumers distinguish experts from fakes; some states allow anyone to use the title dietitian or nutritionist. But other states have responded to the need by allowing only RDNs or people with certain graduate degrees and state licenses to call themselves dietitians. Licensing provides a way to identify people who have met minimum standards of education and experience. A Failed Attempt to Fail To dramatize the ease with which anyone can obtain a fake nutrition degree, one writer paid $82 to enroll in a nutrition diploma mill that billed itself as a correspondence school. She made every attempt to fail, intentionally giving all wrong answers to the examination questions. Even so, she received a “nutritionist” certificate at the end of the course, together with a letter from the “school” officials explaining that they were sure she must have misread the test. Would You Trust a Nutritionist Who Eats Dog Food? In a similar stunt, Mr. Eddie Diekman was named a “professional member” of an association of nutrition “experts” (see Figure C1–3). For his efforts, Eddie received a diploma suitable for framing and displaying. Eddie is a cocker spaniel. His owner, Connie B. Diekman, then president of the American Dietetic Association, paid Eddie’s tuition to prove that he could be awarded the title “nutritionist” merely by sending in his name. Figure C1–3 A “Professional Member” of a Fake Association Eddie displays his professional credentials. https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781337907088&id=1052297599&nbId=2184131&snapshotId=2184131&dockAppUid=101& 2/5 4/18/2021 Print Preview © Courtesy of eatright.org Staying Ahead of the Scammers In summary, to stay one step ahead of the nutrition quacks, check a provider’s qualifications. First, look for the degrees and credentials listed after the person’s name (such as MD, RDN, MS, PhD, or LD). Then, find out what you can about the reputations of institutions that are affiliated with the provider. If the person objects, or if your findings raise suspicions, look for someone better qualified to offer nutrition advice. Your health is your most precious asset, and protecting it is well worth the time and effort it takes to do so. Critical Thinking 1. Describe how you would respond to the following situation: A friend has started taking ginseng, a supplement that claims to help with weight loss. You are thinking of trying ginseng, but you want to learn more about the herb and its effects before deciding. What research would you do, and what questions would you ask your friend to determine if ginseng is a legitimate weight loss product? 2. Recognizing a nutrition authority that you can consult for reliable nutrition information can be difficult because it is so easy to acquire questionable nutrition crede …