Review Sources of Nutritional Information

Recognising Reliable and Unreliable Nutritional Information

Reliable sources of nutrition information are based on scientific research and are usually associated with recognised health, food or education institutions.
Unreliable sources may present misleading or incorrect nutritional information. These can include blogs, social media posts, or publications by individuals or organisations with vested interest in promoting specific products or diets.

Revealing Factors of Reliable Sources

Information backed by scientific research is typically reliable. Studies should be unbiased, of sufficient size, and ideally, peer-reviewed.
Qualified authors such as dietitians, nutritionists, physicians, and health organisations are credible sources.
Recency of the information is important. Nutritional advice can change as research progresses. Thus, up-to-date resources are typically considered reliable.
Reliable sources usually provide references to scientific research or data to validate their claim.

Common Forms of Unreliable Information

Anecdotal evidence is not a reliable basis for nutritional advice. While individual experiences can be interesting, they are not scientifically valid.
Overgeneralisation from single studies is not reliable. Scientific consensus requires evidence from multiple studies.
Food fad promotions, i.e., diets or products claiming rapid weight loss or health improvements without scientific backing, are usually unreliable.
Sales-driven information, where the goal is to sell a product rather than provide unbiased advice, is likely to be unreliable.

Official Sources of Nutritional Information

Food labels: These offer information about the nutrient content in foods. They should be read carefully to identify key nutritional information such as energy content (calories), amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt, and percentage of the reference intake (% RI) per serving.
NHS Choices: The UK’s biggest health website, providing comprehensive health information and advice backed by experts.
British Nutrition Foundation (BNF): A registered charity which delivers impartial, authoritative and evidence-based nutritional information.
Public Health England: The government agency responsible for protection and improvement of the nation’s health. It provides advice and information on health, including diet and nutrition, backed by scientific research.
World Health Organisation (WHO): The directing and coordinating authority on international health, providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed.

Understanding how to review and discern reliable nutritional information is vital. Not only does it inform personal diet choices, but it is crucial for providing accurate advice within a health and social care setting.