5.02V Junk Science and Our Food Not everything we read or see on television or the Internet is good science. In fact, there is a lot of just plain JUNK around. A lot of that junk is related to what we eat, or our diets. 5.02U Junk Science

Guidelines for selecting food Long before the discovery of vitamins and minerals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its first dietary recommendations in 1894. In 1916, the first food guide, called “Food For Young Children” was published. The author, Caroline Hunt, who was also a nutritionist, divided food into 5 groups: milk and meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, fats and fatty foods, and sugars and sugary foods. Today we have the Internet, where there is a lot of information about foods and diets. Not all of that information on the Internet is good information on which to base what we eat. 5.02U Junk Science

Diet Webster says: Diet is the food and drink regularly provided or consumed Diet is the kind and amount of food prescribed for a special reason Definitions of diet provided by the dictionary. We will be examining diet claims to determine if they are valid or “just junk”. 5.02U Junk Science

Top Fad Diets in 2009 5.02U Junk Science This chart shows the top 10 daily online searches for diets on Google during 2009. Unfortunately there are a lot of misleading claims about diets on the Internet. 5.02U Junk Science

provides timely and objective food and nutrition information for consumers, and health professionals. The American Dietetics Association (ADA) is a premiere source for information about diets and food intake. It provides timely and objective information. The ADA is a credible source of information for consumers and health professionals. Ask students what ads they have seen that have health claims. Ask them to bring them to class to share with other students. Stop the PowerPoint at this time. The last slides will be used later. 5.02U Junk Science

Red Flags for Junk Science Recommendations that promise a quick fix Dire warnings of danger from a single product or regiment Claims that sound too good to be true When seeking information about food and diets people need to be able to distinguish between credible and factual information and the junk science. These are the warning signs of junk science. 5.02U Junk Science

Red Flags for Junk Science Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study Recommendations based on a single study Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations 5.02U Junk Science

Red Flags for Junk Science Lists of “good” and “bad” foods Recommendations made to help sell a product Recommendations based on studies published without peer review Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals or groups 5.02U Junk Science

Use media to find: Food supplement and diet advertisements Determine if the claims raise a red flag Make a copy of the ad What statements raise a red flag for you? Why would you disregard the claim? Have students work as a group or independently in class or assign as homework. 5.02U Junk Science