Need instant nutrition information? E-nutrition advice is just a few mouse clicks away. How do you know what’s trustworthy when search engines list legitimate and less reliable sites side-by-side?
Media savvy doesn’t apply just to magazines, newspapers, TV, radio, and books. Exercise the same healthy skepticism you would with any resource. (See August 20, September 15, November 29.) To judge nutrition cyber-advice:
- Identify the Web site sponsor and the sites it links to. Suffixes offer a clue to the source: .org (associations), .edu (educational institutions), .gov (government), .com (commercial). To appear credible, any Web site may hyperlink to expert sites. Commercial (.com) sites, with a marketing focusing, may—or may not— offer credible information to educate consumers.
- Check for updates. Reliable sources are updated frequently. (Less reliable sources may be, too.)
- Look for a rating: Tufts Nutrition Navigator—www.navigator. tufts.edu—offers trustworthy ratings.
- Ask for an expert critique. A registered dietitian (RD) or dietetic technician, registered (DTR) can give you a science-based perspective.
- Determine the Web site’s main objective. Is it education or primarily advertising?
To find science-based online advice quickly, use a gateway, linked to many responsible organizations and Web sites.
- U.S. government: www.healthfinder.gov and www.nutrition.gov
- American Dietetic Association: www.eatright.org
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