Stuff like this happens all the time. Sometimes readers don’t have any way to
discern truth from fiction, but you can get a decent handle on the facts by
paying attention to the way studies are reported. Consider reading the news-
letters and Web sites of the American Council on Exercise (www.acefitness.
org) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (www.cspinet.org),
both of which track the way scientific studies are reported — and distorted —
in the media. Also check out WebMD (www.webmd.com) and Medline (www.med
lineplus.gov). The following tips will also help you sort through the research
that you read and hear about.Look for context
Does the news report mention how the latest research compares to the
studies that came before it? The results of a single study may be a complete
aberration.A few years ago, the media jumped on a study suggesting that kids who drank
a lot of fruit juice were fatter than children who didn’t drink much juice. But
the newspapers and TV stations failed to report a key fact: The study hadn’t
considered the children’s exercise or overall eating habits. “Several studies
had found before and have found since that you can’t blame it on the juice,”
says registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer, a nutrition book author who fre-
quently appears on Good Morning America.“It’s lack of exercise and their
whole diet pattern that makes kids fat.” Somer stood in the studio cringing as
the news anchor informed the nation that drinking juice is bad for kids. “They
should never have even reported on that study,” says Somer, who couldn’t
contradict the news anchor in her own nutrition segment.Don’t alter your lifestyle on the basis of one study. Many theories are later
proven to be wrong. As late as the 1960s, many experts were still telling
women that exercise would damage their uteruses.Consider the source
A health study is more likely to be legit if it comes out of a major university
or government agency rather than some mysterious, private institute. Some
private companies and foundations do valid research, but many organizations
with impressive-sounding names, like Sportlife Exercise Health Sciences
Institute, are just facades for companies promoting their products. Look for
the term independent research.A tobacco study done by RJ Reynolds or a
rating of treadmill brands done by a treadmill manufacturer should fall under
the category of things that make you go “Hmm.”386 Fitness For Dummies, 3rd Edition