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Skowrońska M, Pawłowski M, Milewski R. Evaluating the Reliability of Health Portals' Nutrition and Supplementation Advice for Pregnant Women: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients 2024; 16:1739. [PMID: 38892672 PMCID: PMC11175121 DOI: 10.3390/nu16111739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
This article evaluates the reliability and consistency of nutrition- and supplementation-related advice for pregnant women provided by ten selected health-related Internet portals. The portals were chosen based on their perceived reliability and prominence in Google searches, with representation from both English and Polish language sources. The evaluation criteria included the adherence of the presented information to official recommendations and its evidence-based character based on specific items representing dietary aspects important in pregnancy. While the overall reliability was deemed acceptable, significant variations existed both among the portals and specific evaluated items. Notably, HealthLine, Medline Plus, and NCEZ emerged as the most evidence-based, while WebMD and Medycyna Praktyczna were identified as less reliable. Despite a number of issues, the analysed portals remain valuable sources of nutritional information for pregnant women, offering user-friendly accessibility superior to alternatives such as social media on the one hand and scientific articles on the other. Improved consistency and attention to detail, especially in relation to vitamin intake and supplementation, would improve the overall quality of health portals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michał Pawłowski
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Medical University of Białystok, 15-295 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Robert Milewski
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Medical University of Białystok, 15-295 Białystok, Poland;
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Saher A, Tang L, Douglas S, Jacob R, Walton K, Sadowski A, Ma DWL, Haines J. Fathers' use of social media for social comparison is associated with their food parenting practices. Appetite 2024; 194:107201. [PMID: 38191076 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Over 85% of parents use social media; however, limited research has investigated the associations between parental social media use and food parenting practices. The objectives of this study were to: 1) describe how mothers and fathers use social media focused on topics related to child feeding and family meals; and 2) examine associations between parental social media use focused on child feeding and family meals and mothers' and fathers' food parenting practices. Data were obtained from 179 mothers and 116 fathers of children aged 3-8 years enrolled in a family-based obesity prevention intervention. We used descriptive statistics to describe parents' social media use in relation to child feeding and family meals and linear regressions with generalized estimating equations to explore associations between parents' social media use and food parenting practices. Models were stratified by parent gender and adjusted for household income, parent ethnicity, parent age, child sex, and intervention status. A higher percent of mothers than fathers reported using social media to seek information related to child feeding and family meals (64.8% mothers; 25.0% fathers) and to share and compare family meals and food choices (41.9% mothers; 19.8% fathers). While social media use was not associated with food parenting practices in mothers, fathers' social media use to share and compare family meals and food choices was associated with negative food parenting practices, i.e., greater use of food for emotional regulation (β = 0.37, p = 0.02) and greater use of food for reward (β = 0.34, p = 0.02). Study results can inform strategies to promote healthy social media use among parents of young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Saher
- Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Lisa Tang
- Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Sabrina Douglas
- Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Raphaëlle Jacob
- Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Kathryn Walton
- Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Adam Sadowski
- Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - David W L Ma
- Department of Human Health and Nutrition Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Jess Haines
- Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Murakami K, Shinozaki N, Okuhara T, McCaffrey TA, Livingstone MBE. Prevalence and Correlates of Dietary and Nutrition Information Seeking Through Various Web-Based and Offline Media Sources Among Japanese Adults: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e54805. [PMID: 38354021 PMCID: PMC10902774 DOI: 10.2196/54805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The advent of the internet has changed the landscape of available nutrition information. However, little is known about people's information-seeking behavior toward healthy eating and its potential consequences. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of nutrition information seeking from various web-based and offline media sources. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 5998 Japanese adults aged 20 to 79 years participating in a web-based questionnaire survey (February and March 2023). The dependent variable was the regular use of web-based and offline media as a reliable source of nutrition information. The main independent variables included health literacy, food literacy, and diet quality, which were assessed using validated tools, as well as sociodemographic factors (sex, age, education level, and nutrition- and health-related occupations). RESULTS The top source of nutrition information was television (1973/5998, 32.89%), followed by web searches (1333/5998, 22.22%), websites of government and medical manufacturers (997/5998, 16.62%), newspapers (901/5998, 15.02%), books and magazines (697/5998, 11.62%), and video sites (eg, YouTube; 634/5998, 10.57%). Multivariable logistic regression showed that higher health literacy was associated with higher odds of using all the individual sources examined; odds ratios (ORs) for 1-point score increase ranged from 1.27 (95% CI 1.09-1.49) to 1.81 (95% CI 1.57-2.09). By contrast, food literacy was inversely associated with the use of television (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.55-0.77), whereas it was positively associated with the use of websites of government and medical manufacturers (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.62-2.44), books and magazines (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.64-2.66), and video sites (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.19-1.96). Furthermore, diet quality was positively associated with the use of newspapers (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03) and books and magazines (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.04). Being female was associated with using television and books and magazines, whereas being male was associated with using websites of government and medical manufacturers, newspapers, and video sites. Age was positively associated with using newspapers and inversely associated with using websites of government and medical manufacturers and video sites. People with higher education were more likely to refer to websites of government and medical manufacturers and newspapers but less likely to use television and video sites. Dietitians were more likely to use websites of government and medical manufacturers and books and magazines than the general public but less likely to use television and video sites. CONCLUSIONS We identified various web-based and offline media sources regularly used by Japanese adults when seeking nutrition information, and their correlates varied widely. A lack of positive associations between the use of the top 2 major sources (television and web searches) and food literacy or diet quality is highlighted. These findings provide useful insights into the potential for developing and disseminating evidence-based health promotion materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Murakami
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nana Shinozaki
- Department of Nutritional Epidemiology and Behavioural Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Okuhara
- Department of Health Communication, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tracy A McCaffrey
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - M Barbara E Livingstone
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
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Denniss E, Lindberg R, Marchese LE, McNaughton SA. #Fail: the quality and accuracy of nutrition-related information by influential Australian Instagram accounts. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2024; 21:16. [PMID: 38355567 PMCID: PMC10865719 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-024-01565-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social media is a popular source of information about food and nutrition. There is a high degree of inaccurate and poor-quality nutrition-related information present online. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and accuracy of nutrition-related information posted by popular Australian Instagram accounts and examine trends in quality and accuracy based on author, topic, post engagement, account verification and number of followers. METHODS A sample of posts by Australian Instagram accounts with ≥ 100,000 followers who primarily posted about nutrition was collected between September 2020 and September 2021. Posts containing nutrition-related information were evaluated to determine the quality and accuracy of the information. Quality was assessed using the Principles for Health-Related Information on Social Media tool and accuracy was assessed against information contained in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition database, Nutrient Reference Values and Metafact. RESULTS A total of 676 posts were evaluated for quality and 510 posts for accuracy, originating from 47 Instagram accounts. Overall, 34.8% of posts were classified as being of poor quality, 59.2% mediocre, 6.1% good and no posts were of excellent quality. A total of 44.7% of posts contained inaccuracies. Posts authored by nutritionists or dietitians were associated with higher quality scores (β, 17.8, CI 13.94-21.65; P < 0.001) and higher accuracy scores (OR 4.69, CI 1.81-12.14, P = 0.001) compared to brands and other accounts. Information about supplements was of lower accuracy (OR 0.23, CI 0.10-0.51, P < 0.001) compared to information about weight loss and other nutrition topics. Engagement tended to be higher for posts of lower quality (β -0.59, P = 0.012), as did engagement rate (β -0.57, P = 0.016). There was no relationship between followers or account verification and information quality or accuracy and no relationship between engagement and accuracy. CONCLUSIONS Nutrition-related information published by influential Australian Instagram accounts is often inaccurate and of suboptimal quality. Information about supplements and posts by brand accounts is of the lowest quality and accuracy and information posted by nutritionists and dietitians is of a higher standard. Instagram users are at risk of being misinformed when engaging with Australian Instagram content for information about nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Denniss
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Rebecca Lindberg
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Laura E Marchese
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Sarah A McNaughton
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
- School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia
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Oono F, Adachi R, Yaegashi A, Kishino M, Ogata R, Kinugawa A, Tsumura A, Suga M, Matsumoto M, Takaoka T, Kakutani Y, Murakami K, Sasaki S. Are popular books about diet and health written based on scientific evidence? A comparison of citations between the USA and Japan. Public Health Nutr 2023; 26:2815-2825. [PMID: 37955110 PMCID: PMC10755443 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980023002549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe and compare the references cited in popular books about diet and health between the USA and Japan. DESIGN Books were selected based on their best-seller rankings in the diet and health category of online bookstores. We identified references throughout all pages of the books and examined the number of references, reference format (identifiable or not) and presence of specific types of references, such as systematic reviews of human research. We compared the characteristics of references between the two countries and examined related factors to citation. SETTING Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS Books (n 100 in each country). RESULTS Among 100 books from each country, sixty-five US and sixty-six Japanese books had references. Forty-five US books cited more than 100 references, against only five Japanese books. The number of books that cited systematic reviews of human research differed between the USA (n 49) and Japan (n 9). Additionally, the number of books that provided identifiable information for all references was significantly higher in the USA (n 63) than in Japan (n 42). Books whose first authors have licences of medical doctors were more likely to cite references than those without in both countries. CONCLUSIONS Two-thirds of books about diet and health cited references in both the USA and Japan, but Japanese books cited fewer references and were less likely to cite systematic reviews and provide identifiable references than US books. Further research into the scientific reliability of information in books about diet and health is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumi Oono
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Riho Adachi
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akinori Yaegashi
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Science, Hokkaido Bunkyo University, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Madoka Kishino
- Department of Food and Nutritional Science, Graduate School of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Risa Ogata
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Human Life and Environmental Science, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Anna Kinugawa
- Department of International and Community Oral Health, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Ayari Tsumura
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Food Management, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Mizuki Suga
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Moe Matsumoto
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoya Takaoka
- Division of Clinical Nutrition, Shinshu University Hospital, Nagano, Japan
- Medical Science Division, Department of Medical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Yuya Kakutani
- Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Osaka Shoin Women’s University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kentaro Murakami
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Sasaki
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Hoang YN, Chen YL, Ho DKN, Chiu WC, Cheah KJ, Mayasari NR, Chang JS. Consistency and Accuracy of Artificial Intelligence for Providing Nutritional Information. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2350367. [PMID: 38150258 PMCID: PMC10753390 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study analyzes the accuracy of nutrition information from artificial intelligence (AI) in comparison with a nutritionist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen Nhi Hoang
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ling Chen
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Dang Khanh Ngan Ho
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Chun Chiu
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Khang-Jin Cheah
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, Kampar, Malaysia
| | - Noor Rohmah Mayasari
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Jung-Su Chang
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Metabolism and Obesity Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Nutrition Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Chinese Taipei Society for the Study of Obesity (CTSSO), Taipei, Taiwan
- Taipei Medical University Research Center for Digestive Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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7
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Murakami K, Shinozaki N, Kimoto N, Onodera H, Oono F, McCaffrey TA, Livingstone MBE, Okuhara T, Matsumoto M, Katagiri R, Ota E, Chiba T, Nishida Y, Sasaki S. Web-Based Content on Diet and Nutrition Written in Japanese: Infodemiology Study Based on Google Trends and Google Search. JMIR Form Res 2023; 7:e47101. [PMID: 37971794 PMCID: PMC10690527 DOI: 10.2196/47101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increased availability of content of uncertain integrity obtained through the internet is a major concern. To date, however, there has been no comprehensive scrutiny of the fitness-for-purpose of web-based content on diet and nutrition. OBJECTIVE This cross-sectional study aims to describe diet- and nutrition-related web-based content written in Japanese, identified via a systematic extraction strategy using Google Trends and Google Search. METHODS We first identified keywords relevant for extracting web-based content (eg, blogs) on diet and nutrition written in Japanese using Google Trends. This process included identification of 638 seed terms, identification of approximately 1500 pairs of related queries (top) and search terms, the top 10% of which were extracted to identify 160 relevant pairs of related queries (top) and search terms, and identification of 107 keywords for search. We then extracted relevant web-based content using Google Search. RESULTS The content (N=1703) examined here was extracted following a search based on 107 keywords. The most common themes included food and beverages (390/1703, 22.9%), weight management (366/1703, 21.49%), health benefits (261/1703, 15.33%), and healthy eating (235/1703, 13.8%). The main disseminators were information technology companies and mass media (474/1703, 27.83%), food manufacturers (246/1703, 14.45%), other (236/1703, 13.86%), and medical institutions (214/1703, 12.57%). Less than half of the content (790/1703, 46.39%) clearly indicated the involvement of editors or writers. More than half of the content (983/1703, 57.72%) was accompanied by one or more types of advertisement. The proportion of content with any type of citation reference was 40.05% (682/1703). The themes and disseminators of content were significantly associated with the involvement of editors or writers, accompaniment with advertisement, and citation of reference. In particular, content focusing on weight management was more likely to clearly indicate the involvement of editors or writers (212/366, 57.9%) and to be accompanied by advertisement (273/366, 74.6%), but less likely to have references cited (128/366, 35%). Content from medical institutions was less likely to have citation references (62/214, 29%). CONCLUSIONS This study highlights concerns regarding the authorship, conflicts of interest (advertising), and the scientific credibility of web-based diet- and nutrition-related information written in Japanese. Nutrition professionals and experts should take these findings seriously because exposure to nutritional information that lacks context or seems contradictory can lead to confusion and backlash among consumers. However, more research is needed to draw firm conclusions about the accuracy and quality of web-based diet- and nutrition-related content and whether similar results can be obtained in other major mass media or social media outlets and even other languages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Murakami
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nana Shinozaki
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nana Kimoto
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Onodera
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumi Oono
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tracy A McCaffrey
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - M Barbara E Livingstone
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
| | - Tsuyoshi Okuhara
- Department of Health Communication, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mai Matsumoto
- Department of Nutritional Epidemiology and Shokuiku, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryoko Katagiri
- Department of Nutritional Epidemiology and Shokuiku, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Erika Ota
- Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing Science, St. Luke's International University, Tokyo, Japan
- Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Chiba
- Department of Food Function and Labeling, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Nishida
- Department of Biostatistics, M&D Data Science Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Sasaki
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Ruani MA, Reiss MJ, Kalea AZ. Diet-Nutrition Information Seeking, Source Trustworthiness, and Eating Behavior Changes: An International Web-Based Survey. Nutrients 2023; 15:4515. [PMID: 37960169 PMCID: PMC10649819 DOI: 10.3390/nu15214515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
To understand the extent to which different sources of diet and nutrition information are sought, trusted, and relied upon for making dietary changes, the present international web-based survey study gauged participants' (n = 3419) diet-nutrition information-seeking behaviors from 22 interpersonal and general sources with varying quality, trust levels in these sources, and reliance on each source for making dietary changes. Qualitative insights were also captured regarding trustworthiness formation. The results revealed a disconnect between source popularity and perceived trustworthiness. While nutrition-health websites, Google-Internet searches, and diet-health books were most commonly consulted, participants placed the highest level of trust in nutrition scientists, nutrition professionals, and scientific journals, suggesting that frequent information seeking from a subpar source may not be a reliable predictor of the level of trust assigned to it. Although the frequency of source-seeking behaviors and source trustworthiness both contributed to dietary changes, the latter appeared to have a more pronounced influence. When a source was less trusted, there was a reduced likelihood of relying on it for changing diet. Additionally, source seeking may not always translate into effective dietary change, as shown by the less strong correlation between the two. These associations significantly differed depending on the source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. Ruani
- Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment, Institute of Education, Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London WC1H 0AL, UK;
- The Health Sciences Academy, London SW6 5UA, UK
| | - Michael J. Reiss
- Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment, Institute of Education, Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, London WC1H 0AL, UK;
| | - Anastasia Z. Kalea
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Division of Medicine, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK;
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
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9
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Batheja S, Schopp EM, Pappas S, Ravuri S, Persky S. Characterizing Precision Nutrition Discourse on Twitter: Quantitative Content Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e43701. [PMID: 37824190 PMCID: PMC10603558 DOI: 10.2196/43701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is possible that tailoring dietary approaches to an individual's genomic profile could provide optimal dietary inputs for biological functioning and support adherence to dietary management protocols. The science required for such nutrigenetic and nutrigenomic profiling is not yet considered ready for broad application by the scientific and medical communities; however, many personalized nutrition products are available in the marketplace, creating the potential for hype and misleading information on social media. Twitter provides a unique big data source that provides real-time information. Therefore, it has the potential to disseminate evidence-based health information, as well as misinformation. OBJECTIVE We sought to characterize the landscape of precision nutrition content on Twitter, with a specific focus on nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. We focused on tweet authors, types of content, and presence of misinformation. METHODS Twitter Archiver was used to capture tweets from September 1, 2020, to December 1, 2020, using keywords related to nutrition and genetics. A random sample of tweets was coded using quantitative content analysis by 4 trained coders. Codebook-driven, quantified information about tweet authors, content details, information quality, and engagement metrics were compiled and analyzed. RESULTS The most common categories of tweets were precision nutrition products and nutrigenomic concepts. About a quarter (132/504, 26.2%) of tweet authors presented themselves as science experts, medicine experts, or both. Nutrigenetics concepts most frequently came from authors with science and medicine expertise, and tweets about the influence of genes on weight were more likely to come from authors with neither type of expertise. A total of 14.9% (75/504) of the tweets were noted to contain untrue information; these were most likely to occur in the nutrigenomics concepts topic category. CONCLUSIONS By evaluating social media discourse on precision nutrition on Twitter, we made several observations about the content available in the information environment through which individuals can learn about related concepts and products. Tweet content was consistent with the indicators of medical hype, and the inclusion of potentially misleading and untrue information was common. We identified a contingent of users with scientific and medical expertise who were active in discussing nutrigenomics concepts and products and who may be encouraged to share credible expert advice on precision nutrition and tackle false information as this technology develops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sapna Batheja
- Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Emma M Schopp
- Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Samantha Pappas
- Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Siri Ravuri
- Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Susan Persky
- Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
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