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Here’s how public thinking on food gets shaped: Every year, researchers publish hundreds of academic studies about the health effects of various foods - chocolate, kale, red wine, anything. Those studies, in turn, become fodder for newspaper articles, books and blog posts.
But how much of this torrent of information is worth the trouble? Surprising little, according to a number of key researchers.In recent years, these skeptics have caused a stir by poking big holes in the nutritional science behind popular diet advice. Even the findings published in distinguished health journals have come under fire.
Collectively, their work suggests that we know far less than we think we do about what to eat.
[Also Covered By]: http://firstwefeast.com/eat/are-nutrition-studies-complete-bogus/
[Related]: http://firstwefeast.com/eat/new-dietary-guidelines-say-red-meat-and-butter-are-not-the-devil/
(Score: 2) by Alfred on Wednesday May 13 2015, @05:44PM
Of course you do and so does every other scientist, you have to. Part of the problem (I'm looking at journalists) is that this never comes out. Without knowing more I can't classify a reported study as credible so I toss all of them out instead of weeding through it myself.
Occasionally I will talk to someone who knows more than a journalist. They can converse about more than just a headline but falter when asked thoughtful questions about possible exceptions (or other conflating factors not covered). This is the mythbusters level of due diligence, not convincing at all. Like proving you can pour water out of a glass, great, here is your trophy, now did you try it at anything but room temperature?
When it comes to science fanatics it is very frustrating that with a little questioning they start to sound like religious zealots. "I don't understand it but it's perfect and it works!" Am I just thinking to much for these people? Are the questions too hard? Do they not want to think about it and explore the principle? Yes, people are lazy. Journalist and supporters of science (and/or religion) do a disservice to the cause by being stupid. (Of course this is in their very nature of being a journalist. Maybe ironically I am doing what they should be doing, digging deeper for deeper understanding)
Of course the subject line says it all. All studies are funded by those who want a desired outcome, and they usually get what they pay for.
Yeah with so many crap studies out there it gets me going. End of Rant: Back to real life...