As humans, we are quite good at determining when someone’s knowledge on a particular topic exceeds our own. In only a few minutes of listening to them speak, or reading their work, it becomes very apparent.
What we struggle with, is determining who is the more knowledgeable between people smarter than ourselves.
This is especially problematic when it comes to nutrition; a field which seems to have more conflicting information and opposing views than any other.
Every year we are hit with a constant barrage of new books, articles and programs that claim to hold the information essential to optimal health, cognition, weight loss and longevity. Most written by authors with the all-important letters (PhD, MD, MS, etc.) attached to their names, signaling their authority and knowledge to potential readers.
How is the general public to determine who is providing sound advice based on good scientific research, and who is cherry picking data in order to validate their claims and further their own agendas?
How many readers are going to check references and read the supporting studies to see if the evidence holds weight?
How many readers even know what a well designed study looks like? Not all studies are created equal and mere presence in a scientific journal is not an indication of quality.
Arming yourself
If you’re interested in going down the deep rabbit hole of learning how to sift through the noise, I recommend checking out Peter Attia’s articles on Understanding Science, especially the Studying the Studies series. He also recommends many books as an introduction to critical thinking. Be warned though, it is a deep rabbit hole indeed.
How to Read a Paper, by Trisha Greenhalgh also comes highly recommended.
A more reasonable alternative
For those without the time, or mental energy, to devote to such an endeavor, one promising resource for separating good science from bad is Red Pen Reviews (redpenreviews.org).
The site’s contributors aim to offer unbiased reviews of popular health and nutrition books, providing in-depth critiques in regards to references and scientific accuracy.
The site is relatively new and, due to the amount of time it takes to properly vet a book, only offers six critiques to date. Though limited, these exhaustive reviews should prove much more valuable to potential readers than the typical review on Amazon.
The reviewers have impressive backgrounds with a wide range of credentials. Funding comes “primarily from reader donations”.
It’s difficult to leave personal views out of the equation with work like this – however self-aware the reviewer – but Red Pen Reviews holds promise in this regard.
Before purchasing a book in the health and nutrition space, check if they’ve reviewed it.
Photo by Josh Vuong on Unsplash