When it comes to nutrition information, do you ever feel that it is news only if it is controversial? Making sense of the food you eat
may seem like "mission impossible". In fact, 56% of Canadians say that they are tired of getting conflicting messages about how they should
eat to be healthy.
"It's a jungle out there - a nutrition information jungle," says Lise Smedmor, Nutrition Month Manager for the Dietitians of Canada.
"With today's technology, there is an unprecedented amount of information and it is hard to know who to believe and what to act upon. This
is why the Dietitians of Canada felt compelled to devote the March 2001 Nutrition Month Campaign to making sense of the food you eat" she
explains.
On the local front, dietitians across Canada will be organizing special events, demonstrations and speaking with the local media. On a
national scale, Dietitians of Canada's award winning, interactive website - http://www.dietitians.ca/eatwell - has
been expanded this year. At the website you can:
- Take the "Nutrition Challenge". Test your nutrition knowledge with a
new interactive quiz designed to challenge popular nutrition myths and
you could win Dietitian's of Canada's latest cookbook,
Great Food Fast.
- "Say
Good Bye To Myth Information" - try to spot the nutrition myth information
in the quiz, then check out the answers on the back. Also includes a recipe
for Lazy Lasagna!
- "Believe
It or Not - Finding Reliable Nutrition Information" - Who and what can
you believe?
- Find
Nutrition Advice - Find out what services a Registered Dietitian can offer
you.
- Visit a
"Virtual Kitchen" that provides nutrition information about food choices
and sample recipes from Great Food Fast.
- Make use of the
"Meal Planner" designed to help you determine the kinds and amounts of
foods to eat.
- Evaluate
"Your Nutrition Profile" which compares your food choices to current nutrition
recommendations and gives personalized advice for healthy eating.
- Find out if your body weight is in a healthy zone with the
"EATracker".
- Try the
"EATracker" and get feedback on your activity level and tips for active
living.
- Get trusted answers to the most
frequently asked nutrition questions, recipes and more.
The Dietitians of Canada website provides a highly accessible means for Canadians to find answers to their nutrition questions and reach
a local dietitian.
Making sense of what you read and hear in the media and on the Internet can be a challenge
With the media, there is often not enough time to provide all the information you need to analyze the story. "If you think new research
findings could apply to you, talk to a Registered Dietitian for more details", recommends Smedmor.
Here are 5 red alert questions from the Dietitians of Canada to help you avoid nutrition misinformation pitfalls. The next time you read
or hear nutrition news, ask yourself these five questions:
- Is the recommendation based on one person's success and testimonials?
You may wonder what's wrong with testimonials. Are they dishonest? Certainly
not. But feeling better after taking a treatment or remedy doesn't necessarily
mean that it works for everyone. There are many other factors which
could be at play.
- Does the claim sound too good to be true? If the claims
sound too good to be true, they probably are. Some claims are made based
on testimonials or on studies that are not peer-reviewed nor published
in well-respected journals.
- Do you have to buy any special products? Many theories
used to promote nutrition products, diets and dietary recommendations
are purely science fiction. These theories are promoted in order to
gain profit from the sale of products of questionable value. Science
is the basis for sound nutrition information.
- Are there any promises for a quick fix or instant cure?
Miraculous promises and claims do sound appealing but don't be fooled
by their charm.
- Does the advice contradict Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide?
Be wary of such advice. Food combination diets are one example. The
claim that the body cannot digest protein and starch at the same time
has no scientific basis. Many nutritious foods such as a salmon sandwich
would not be allowed on this diet. Although you may lose weight on these
diets, it's because you will be eating fewer calories, not because of
the odd food combinations.
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If you answered yes to any of these 5 questions, chances are the information is not trustworthy. Make sense of the food you eat by
getting the facts from a source you can trust... ask a Registered Dietitian.
For details on local March Nutrition Month events, to find a
local dietitian or access other nutrition information, visit the Nutrition Month website at http://www.dietitians.ca/eatwell or
contact a dietitian in your region through your local public health department, hospital, community health centre or obtain a referral to a
dietitian in private practice at 1-888-901-7776.
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This article was prepared by the 
