The internet and nutrition

Introduction: The internet is full of nutrition advice from people who deem themselves as "experts".
Documentaries are especially convincing to the general public and these movies can be very convincing that
the information that is presented is true! It is not to say that some documentaries are more aligned with science
than others, and many do showcase information that can help us to make better decisions in our lives.
However, it is important not to believe everything we see, read, and watch online as absolute truth, and always
look at media with a critical eye! In an age where everyone likes a good conspiracy theory (haha!), it's still
important to trust the scientists and research we have accumulated in the field of nutrition over time!
Objective:
Critically evaluate a nutrition-related documentary
Compare the information being presented in the documentary to the science you have learned so far in class
Validate that the information presented in the documentary or podcast is from nutrition experts and institutions
in the field (watch our for conspiracy theorists telling you that the science and experts are corrupt!)
Points Possible: 25 points (please see asterisks above)
Steps:
Watch my mini-lecture on Nutrition Science: How do Nutrition Experts form Consensus?
Watch a nutrition-related documentary of your choice on Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or any streaming service of
your choice. Examples of documentaries include (but not limited to): Forks over Knives, Game Changers (I
highly recommend for those interested in fueling fitness!), Super Size Me, What the Health, Food Choices, Diet
Fiction, Fed Up, The Magic Pill, etc.
Thoroughly answer the following questions:
After viewing the mini-lecture in this module, who is considered a nutrition expert and WHY? How do nutrition
experts formulate a consensus from the body of scientific evidence in order to create guidelines for optimal
health?
Summarize the documentary you chose from the beginning to the end.
What are the main points of the documentary? What does the documentary encourage us to believe?
What information did you find interesting? What information does and does not align with the science you have
learned so far? If one were to follow the advice of the documentary, would this advice be dangerous to human
health over time?
Who are the people interviewed and presenting the information? Are they experts in the field of nutrition (for
example Registered Dietitians, Ph.D.'s in Nutrition Science, credible institutions like the National Institute for
Health, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, World Health Organization, The Centers for Disease Control,
accredited universities, etc)? Does the documentary mainly showcase testimonials (remember testimonials can
be fun to watch, but are NOT considered part of scientific consensus)?
Here is a website that lists credible organizations as well: Quackwatch.
Did the documentary provide the studies and research to back up their claims? What does the term "cherrypicking" mean? Did they reference specific studies you could potentially look up on your own to validate that
the conclusions were true and not cherry-picked?
If you decided to learn more about the information the documentary presented, how would you go about
investigating its claims?
Overall, rate the documentary or podcast on a reliability scale: 1-10. Rate it a "1" if you feel it's complete
nonsense (not backed by accredited institutions, registered dietitians, only testimonials, etc.) or "10" if you felt
that the documentary was aligned with the science you have been learning in this class and that the
information was presented by true nutrition experts. Why did you give it this particular rating? What would you
have liked to see in order to improve its rating?
Read your classmates’ posts.
For the final points of the assignment, find a post that you resonate with and reach out to comment on what
they have shared in a respective way. If you have watched the same film, maybe there is something you could
add? Or perhaps if it's not a film you have watched yet, you could offer insight or perhaps ask a question for
clarification.