Credible Information
Where do you go to get all of your health information? The news? Social media
sites? Your gym buddies? Perhaps Dr. Oz? Well, regardless of the source, I am
here to explain why the public should be receiving the most recent, accurate,
and science-based information. That should be always, not just on occasion. The
reason being, our lives depend on science and through science, we can
understand how our bodies function and what is considered best for our health.
Why should we listen to a celebrity figure that does not have a health science
degree, let alone a degree at all? A person may look healthy or sound educated,
but in reality, evidence-based information is lacking in our society. I am not
here to bash on all sources of media or certain people, but rather to simply
help you understand which information you can trust confidently and which
information you should avoid. Currently, all of my blog posts are written from
journal articles and information I have gathered through an accredited dietetic
program. Also, each of my posts are now reviewed and approved by a Registered
Dietitian, therefore; the information I am relaying to you is what health
professionals support and accept. The information I write about is considered
evidence-based; AKA, there has been scientific studies and data to support the
evidence.
All health professionals use the best available evidence in making clinical
decisions because there is research to back up the information. Health
professionals promote the use of professional expertise where evidence is weak
or lacking. Peer-reviewed literature is what health professional utilize in
order to give their clients answers and information from the most up-to-date
research. This is done to guarantee their clients are receiving the most
accurate information possible. This is also a reason why health professionals
are required to continue their education through classes, seminars, or webinars
to ensure they remain credible in their profession.
Most people get their health information from social media sites, television
shows, or popular magazines. The reason health professionals have a problem
with this is because the information from those sources is not always true.
Anyone can put information out on the internet, but it should be our job to
decide whether or not we believe it. I will give you a hint: IF IT SOUNDS TOO
GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT MOST LIKELY IS! Some celebrities claim they can drop 20 lbs
FAST with a diet or whatever crazy claim they make and to be honest, that is 1.
Not even healthy and 2. Probably not possible for most people. So why do we
believe the celebrity verses the professional? I will admit that I always
wanted to believe the easy route because let’s face it; it is less work. But
reality shows us that whatever is easy, either does not work or does not last. As
a society, we should stray away from believing information stemming from
sources that get paid off of their popularity. When the source is getting paid
(cough cough, Dr. Oz), they are using health information as a way of
entertainment to make a profit. Therefore, their claims are usually more
extreme than necessary and overly dramatic. Here’s the thing, don’t make
everything so complicated and crazy just to get a good TV rating. Rather, it is
best to gather information from health professionals whose careers are based
off of in-depth education and dedication. They will provide you with
information tailored to your needs with supported science research.
If this information so far
isn’t enough to convince you, then you should probably keep reading…
Popularity Literature (thumb
down) vs. Scholarly Literature (two thumbs up)
Journalists
that are hired by magazines to write articles are considered to write
popularity literature. They cover news and current events and write about
people, places, and things, and even express their political views. Some
examples include The New York Times,
Psychology Today, and Science News.
The purpose of this type of literature is to inform the general public while
providing an entertainment factor. These sources usually lack references and
only have a general summary of information.
Scholarly literature is written by experts in their field, therefore; they know
a ton more information than we do! The authors of the academic articles are
employed by universities or education research institutions to write. The
articles are then put through a peer-review process, which basically means that
before the article can be accepted for publication, several experts in the
field review it. The experts suggest changes and recommendations to the editor
of the journal article. Here’s a list of some peer-reviewed article sources: Journal of American History, Psychological
Review, James Joyce Quarterly, and Annals
of the National academy of Science.
The purpose of scholarly literature is to communicate research and scholarly
ideas to other scholars, students, or anyone interested in accurate and
thorough information. The information is particularly very specific and it is
backed up by research. The only downsides I could find with scholarly articles
are the fact that they use discipline-specific jargon in which the layperson
may not understand. The other downside is that scholarly articles are not
published frequently because research and the peer-reviewed process take a long
time.
If you don’t like searching for scholarly articles or can’t understand the
jargon (no judgment here) or can’t get an appointment with your health care
provider soon enough, you can visit www.nutrition411.com.
This site is ran by Nancy Collins PhD, RD, LD/N, FAPWCA who has created a
valuable source of health information for professionals to go to when they need
to gather credible information for their clients. All information is open to
the public and she provides information on every health topic you could
imagine. The site is constantly being updated to stay up with current health
practices and it is easy to use and understand. Check it out when you are
curious about anything health related and want a credible source!