Tag: Media literacy

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, reliable nutrition information is based on solid scientific evidence. To determine the credibility of a source for nutrition information, you must look beyond sensational headlines and dig into the evidence, author credentials, and potential biases. This critical evaluation is essential for making informed dietary choices that support your health and well-being.

According to the Prevention Institute, nearly 98% of food advertisements viewed by children promote products high in fat, sugar, or sodium. This article investigates the sobering statistics behind what percent of food ads are unhealthy, exploring the pervasive influence of junk food marketing on dietary habits and public health.

According to a 2025 study, 51% of young Australian adults changed their eating habits because of social media. The modern media landscape—from targeted ads and sponsored content to captivating food photography—plays a powerful, often subconscious, role in shaping consumer preferences and dietary behaviors.

Since 1974, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has published the *Nutrition Action Healthletter* as a consumer resource for sorting fact from fiction in food and health. For readers seeking trustworthy information, the question "Is Nutrition Action reputable?" is critical, especially when evaluating its long-standing consumer advocacy role.

According to a 2025 DataReportal report, over 5.2 billion people use social media, positioning it as a profound influence on daily life, including how we perceive and interact with food. This pervasive digital environment significantly alters the general public view of food intake, affecting everything from diet choices to body image perceptions.

A 2024 New York Times report highlighted the increasing sophistication of health misinformation, noting its reliance on emotional language and out-of-context quotes to spread. This growing problem makes it more critical than ever to know how to identify credible sources of health information in the digital age.

According to a 2023 paper, social media use is a "plausible risk factor for the development of eating disorders". This reflects the pervasive harm of diet culture, and learning how to fight against diet culture is a critical step toward protecting your mental and physical health.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, a food product with 10-19% of the Daily Value for a nutrient is deemed a 'good source'. While this percentage offers a clear metric for packaged foods, determining what percent is considered a good source in academic research or online information is far more complex, relying on critical evaluation rather than a simple numerical value. This guide will explore the different meanings of 'good source' and equip you with the skills to assess reliability in any context.

Despite the abundance of online health resources, a 2018 study found that young adults perceive healthcare professionals as the most reliable source of nutrition information, even while primarily using online resources. We explore which of the following is the most accurate source of nutrition information and how to distinguish it from misleading sources.