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Science, advocacy, and quackery in nutritional books: analysis of conflicting advice and purported claims of nutritional best-sellers
Top 100 best-selling books identified & assessed for their claims. 1/6
#Publichealth #SupportNotStigma https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-0415-6
Top 100 best-selling books identified & assessed for their claims. 1/6
#Publichealth #SupportNotStigma https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-0415-6
Weight loss was a common theme along with n addition cure or prevention of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and dementia
Recommendations for carbohydrates, dairy, proteins, and fat in differed greatly between books.
2/6
Recommendations for carbohydrates, dairy, proteins, and fat in differed greatly between books.
2/6
Qualifications of authors to speak on nutrition was analysed, tied to qualifications and job role. It is fair to say it was mixed bag!
About 1/3 were at one time practising doctors.
80/100 of the book summaries mentioned weight loss or weight management.
3/6
About 1/3 were at one time practising doctors.
80/100 of the book summaries mentioned weight loss or weight management.
3/6
Summaries that specified a program length and/or the number of pounds that could be lost, the median was 21 days. Several authors have become wealthy entrepreneurs. The financial incentives and potential conflicts need to be more visible, regardless of book content.
4/6
4/6
Most of the authors of these best sellers are not active in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.
Limitation of study - analyses were on the content on the books’ summaries and not on the book itself.
5/6
Limitation of study - analyses were on the content on the books’ summaries and not on the book itself.
5/6
My thoughts: general public more likely to learn about nutrition from these books and as the books don't always reference evidence, perhaps nutrition research professionals and practitioners communicating on nutrition needs to reflect on this.
6/6
6/6
