Healthy Living for Elders: Clues of Quackery1
Table 1.
Food Faddism: a practice based on an exaggerated belief in the health benefits of certain foods.Quackery: promotion of certain practices, with misleading health claims, for profit.
How Common is Quackery?
Quackery is a multimillion dollar business in the United States. Older adults often are targets for quackery, but you can avoid being a victim. Always evaluate nutrition and health information or recommendations before you take action based on them.
Are There Clues to Help Me Recognize Quackery?
Yes! Here are seven key questions to ask about nutrition and health information. The answers will give you CLUES to help you spot quackery.7 Clues of Quackery
1. Is the author/speaker qualified to provide nutrition or health information?Check to be sure they have a nutrition or medical degree. If they don't, that's CLUE #1. Dietitians (RD or LD/N) and nutritionists with advanced degrees have training in nutrition. Physicians (MD) are health experts. Be aware that "Dr." in front of someone's name could just mean that they have a Ph.D. in Math!
2. Are claims based only on testimonials, especially by famous persons?
Information from persons who lack formal nutrition or health education, like TV personalities or professional athletes, may not be reliable. The spokespersons generally are paid to promote products. They may or may not know anything about their effectiveness.3. Is the claim supported by more than one scientific study? Claims must be supported by scientific studies. Specific information about the studies should be provided. If it’s not, that’s another CLUE of quackery.4. Who tested the product or conducted the research? A reliable research organization does not sell any product that it is studying. Good studies are most often done by government health agencies, universities, or medical schools and published in scientific journals. If it is not clear where the “research” was done, that’s a CLUE for possible quackery!5. Does it sound too good to be true? To promote products, the media or salespersons may say that a product:
- is quick and painless,
- is “natural,”
- can cure a variety of conditions,
- is based on an ancient remedy,
- is a “miracle” cure or breakthrough.
Claims like these make products sound “too good to be true," a strong CLUE for quackery. What about the claim “natural” ? Natural does not always mean a product is safe. Think about salmonella...it's natural, but not safe!6. Is elimination of one or more food groups recommended? This could be a big CLUE. For good health, we need a variety of nutrients. We get these nutrients from foods we eat. Foods from different food groups give us different nutrients. If you eliminate food groups from your diet, you may develop health problems.7. Is there a specific food or supplement for sale? Information provided as a part of a sales pitch is not reliable. Do not take advice from supplement salespersons or even friends, if they are trying to sell you the product they are promoting.
Where can I find reliable information?
Although there is much misinformation out there, you also can find reliable information.Check out the following resources:
- At your local senior center or Extension office, ask for these University of Florida fact sheets:
- Healthy Living: Reliable Sources of Nutrition and Health Information, and
- Healthy Living: Reliable Web Sites for Consumers
- Contact a Registered Dietitian (RD) or state licensed dietitian/nutritionist (LD/N), your county Extension office, or your Area Agency on Aging.
- Check your telephone book for listings.
- Contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov. Or phone them at 1-888-723-3366 (instructions available in English and Spanish).
- Search Florida’s Extension Web site: http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu.
Footnotes
1. This fact sheet is FCS8583, one in a series from the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and was developed with funding from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, in partnership with state, county, and local agencies. First published: December 1999. Revised: June 2008. La versión en español de este documento es Vida Saludable: Indicios de Fraude (FCS8583span).
2. Linda B. Bobroff, Ph.D., RD, LD/N., professor; Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611, and Luisa Oliver-Cordero, BS, RD, LD/N, former ENAFS Nutrition Educator/Trainer.The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal
Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational
information and other services only to individuals and institutions
that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed,
color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital
status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations.
For more information on obtaining other extension publications,
contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service,
University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative
Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
