Nutrition in the news blog

This assignment allows you to find current nutrition information in media sources (internet, magazine, etc) and critically analyze and evaluate validity. 

There is a lot of confusion about nutrition these days and this is often related to the massive amount of information in the media, including television, radio, the internet, social media, magazines, etc.  There are other examples; these are just some of the common sources of nutrition information and misinformation found in the media.  For this assignment, think about nutrition information that you have recently read or heard about – perhaps it is from Facebook, or standing in line at the grocery, etc. Then consider whether or not the information is really science based. 

Examples might be: blueberries prevent cancer, sugar causes diabetes, it does not matter how much saturated fat you eat, coffee is good for you, etc

You should use your knowledge of nutrition science that you will accumulate to determine whether or not the story is really science or if it is really another myth.  You can use stories from the news, video, movies, television, radio, magazines or you can simply search the Internet to find a website that offers nutrition information. 

You will carefully review the information in the story/article/video/at the site and identify any “red flags” for misinformation.  You will then evaluate the quality of the information presented.

To write this blog:

Identify a source of the story (information and provide a reference to that which could be a website, URL, etc

summarize the information, including health-related claims;

find 2 valid sources of information concerning the topic – summarize what those sources say and provide APA references

evaluate the site for bias; and search for any disclaimers.  Y

decide whether or not this is a reliable source of nutrition information, and clearly explain why it is or is not.  Use material from your readings to make your argument.