Assignment Snapshot:
Now, more than ever, we are constantly surrounded by information via media (television, radio, print,
web, etc.), especially nutrition- and health-related information. Being able to identify the credibility and
accuracy of nutrition- and health-related information among the media may dramatically cut down the
confusion we face when trying to make lifestyle choices that better our health and wellbeing.
Assignment Instructions:
For this assignment, you will search and find a nutrition-related advertisement (Part 1). You may use
a magazine article, website, YouTube video, advertisement (web-based or physical), video
recording, or any other form of media to find said nutrition-related “quackery”/“nutrition fraud”.
You will then provide a 1-sheet document (1- or 2-sided) to explain why the nutrition advertisement is
not a reliable source of nutrition information, using the specific guidelines listed below, in Part 2, and
suggest alternative resource(s) to use in place of that non-credible source (Part 3). Your assignment
will be submitted as a word document (and an additional file attachment if the source found is a web based or physical article).
For this assignment, you will complete the following three (3) main tasks (see below sections 1, 2, 3)
in order to demonstrate your ability to:
• evaluate the scientific accuracy of nutritional advertisements & statements found in the media
• identify nutrition fraud and quackery in the mass media and cyberspace
• interpret and communicate information on nutrition
• demonstrate how to locate, interpret, evaluate, and use professional literature to make ethical,
evidence-based practice decisions
1. Nutrition Misinformation Source/Advertisement (1 point)
Please provide an advertisement, website article, video, or any other form of media you’ve found
that includes “nutrition quackery”/“nutrition fraud” by the following means:
• Website articles should be provided by saving and submitting the specific article as a PDF
document, along with the assignment
• Physical magazine articles can be scanned into a computer, saved as a PDF document, and
then submitted along with the assignment
• Videos found on the internet can be submitted by providing a website link. If you record a
video yourself (say you find an infomercial on tv), you will need to upload that video to
YouTube and then provide the YouTube video weblink in the submitted assignment.
• Audio recordings need to be uploaded to an audio sharing website (such as iPadio.com), and
then you would provide the weblink to that recording in the submitted assignment.
• NOT ACCEPTABLE: Food product packaging/labels, as well as articles, videos, or
commercials that have already investigated a product or ad credibility.
Page 2 of 3
To reiterate what “nutrition quackery”/“nutrition fraud” means (Bellow & Moore, 2013):
• “Recommendations that promise a quick fix…
• Dire warnings of danger from a single product or regimen…
• Claims that sound too good to be true…
• Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study…
• Recommendations based on a single study…
• Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations…
• Lists of “good” and “bad” foods…
• “Spinning” information from another product to match the producer’s claims…
• Stating that research is “currently underway,” indicating that there is no current
research…
• Non-science based testimonials supporting the product, often from celebrities or highly
satisfied customers.”
YOU ARE NOT SUBMITTING AN ADVERTISEMENT/ARTICLE THAT IS ALREADY DEBUNKING
A PRODUCT/SERVICE. YOU ARE THE ONE THAT WILL BE DOING THAT BASED ON YOUR
OWN KNOWLEDGE LEARNED IN THIS CLASS. THE AD SHOULD BE PROMOTING A
PRODUCT/SERVICE RATHER THAN CRITIQUING THAT PRODUCT/SERVICE.
2. Nutrition Misinformation Evaluation (4 points)
You will produce a 1-sheet document (1- or 2-sided) to educate the general public on WHY this
piece of nutrition misinformation is in fact mis-informative/quackery/fraud/non-credible. You
may complete one of the following in order to do so:
• write a 4-5 paragraph written summary;
• construct a multi-bulleted, categorized summary; OR
• create an illustrated graphic/poster
The 1-sheet document must include an explanation of key components to evaluate when looking
at the credibility of nutrition information resources, using your chosen nutrition misinformation
resource to explain the following. You MUST include the following sections in your assignment:
• The author(s) of the advertisement/article, including the authors’/creators’
credentials and qualifications about the nutrition-related topic presented (or lack
thereof);
• Any conflicts of interest (sponsored/involved third parties that may benefit from
the sale of the advertised nutrition product/message
• The severity of the nutrition message (exaggerated claims, fads, misinterpreted
information, lies/fraud/cures, extremist tactics, etc.);
• References within the resource and their reliability and accurate interpretation; and
• Anything else that substantiates why the information presented is fraudulent/noncredible
Please present your analysis in an organized, well-written manner (headings, sections, etc.).
Page 3 of 3
3. Identify and Explain Related Credible Resource(s) (2 points)
Within that same 1-sheet document, you will need to provide alternative, credible resource(s) to
guide the general public to a better means of nutrition information.
a. The alternative resource(s) you provide MUST be relative to the nutrition topic presented in
the non-credible resource/ad you’ve chosen to analyze.
b. Any resources listed MUST be accompanied by a brief explanation as to why they are in
fact credible sources of nutrition information. This can be done so in as little as 1 sentence (if
done carefully), or as much as 1-2 paragraphs.
c. Please clearly present these alternative credible sources as such
save the document as a pdf
