Recommendations by the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Discussion
Recommendations by the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Discussion
Like most subjects, there are many opinions about the topic of nutrition. However not everyone sharing their opinion are experts in the field. In fact, most of what is promoted on television and the internet is not evidence-based and is often nothing more than quackery. For this discussion board, please read Controversy 1: Sorting Imposters from Real Nutrition Experts at the end of Chapter 1 in our textbook Nutrition Concepts and Controversies, 15th ed. After reading that section, discuss what you have learned regarding who the real nutrition experts are and who are the imposters. Also, discuss how you can spot quackery and where you can get reliable information. Use only the textbook to support your statements and be sure to cite the source properly using APA formatting.
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Your initial post should be at least 250 words.
Back up your answers with textbook references, and cite your sources!
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.
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.
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: