Spotting Fake News About Nutrition During the COVID19

Spotting “Fake News” About Nutrition During the COVID-19 Pandemic Jessica Lehmann, MS, RDN Lecturer, College of Health Solutions

What is “fake news” about nutrition? • Misinformation or disinformation • Often shared on social media platforms, texting, emails • Unreliable sources • Currently, there is NO scientific evidence that a specific food, supplement, beverage, ingredient, or diet will prevent or cure COVID-19. • Role of science

Have you seen any of these claims for COVID 19 prevention or cures? • Herbal teas • Gargling with warm water mixed with salt and vinegar • Avoiding frozen foods such as ice cream • Drinking water every 15 minutes • Vitamin C supplements • Vitamin D supplements • Garlic or water with boiled garlic • Hot peppers Lemons Turmeric Alkaline foods Ketogenic diet Fasting Alcohol (drinking it or spraying it on your body) • Tonic water • Cow urine • • •

Potential consequences • Deadly • Serious illness • Delay treatment for symptoms • Expensive

Before you click on “share”…think: • Is it too good to be true? It probably is. • Did it make you feel a strong emotion (e. g. fear, shame, vindication)? • How reliable is the source? • Be skeptical of any claim that eating or drinking a specific food, beverage, supplement or diet can prevent or cure COVID-19. • Beware of buzzwords…”natural”, “miracle”, “magic”, “detox”, “special”, “secret”, “superfoods”, “breakthrough”, “game-changer”, “cleanse”, “flush”, “purify”, “revitalize”

Do some detective work… • WHO Mythbusters • CDC Stop the Spread of Rumors • FDA Health Fraud Scams • Snopes Fact Check • International Fact Checking Network • Politifact • Media Bias Fact Check • Ad Fontes Media Bias Rating

Trusted sources of information about nutrition • World Health Organization (WHO) • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) • State health agencies (e. g. Arizona Department of Health) • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics • National Institutes of Health’ National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Know the Science

Don’t let nutrition misinformation go viral during the COVID-19 pandemic. . . THINK before you share!