Finding Reliable Health Information Online (online only)
August 2011
By American Institute for Cancer Research
Q: When
I want to check news about diet and health, I go online and type the topic in
the search box. The top few websites that come up should give the most
trustworthy information, right?
A: No.Internet search engines are set up with intricate formulas that raise a
website higher on the list based on a variety of factors, including popularity
as well as technical details about how the website is set up and run. This is
no sign of the accuracy of a website’s information. If you want to check on a study that you’ve
heard reported on the news, you can go directly to the website of the journal
in which it’s published or to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/)
and search for it by topic. However, remember that it’s never wise to make food
or lifestyle decisions based on just one study. Make decisions based on the big
picture of overall research. Since it’s hard to keep up with all the studies,
you’ll save time and get trustworthy information by keeping a list of a few
sites you trust where information posted is written and reviewed for accuracy
by qualified experts. Check sites related to overall wellness, particular
organizations devoted to specific diseases or health problems (like www.aicr.org or www.diabetes.org), and
organizations of trained health professionals (like www.eatright.org, the web home of
registered dietitians) that provide commentaries and evidence-based reviews of
important health issues. These days it can be hard to tell the difference
between a true nutrition news story and a press release put out by companies
with something to sell, so it really does pay to check what the experts you
trust say. A recent survey shows that many seeking health information on the Internet
don’t check where their information comes from. Don’t let a search engine
decide for you whom to trust.
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is
the cancer charity that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition,
physical activity and weight management to cancer risk, interprets the
scientific literature and educates the public about the results. It has
contributed more than $95 million for innovative research conducted at
universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. AICR has
published two landmark reports that interpret the accumulated research in the
field, and is committed to a process of continuous review. AICR also provides a
wide range of educational programs to help millions of Americans learn to make
dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its award-winning New American Plate
program is presented in brochures, seminars and on its website, www.aicr.org.
AICR is part of the global network of charities that are dedicated to the
prevention of cancer. The WCRF global network is led and unified by WCRF
International, a membership association which operates as the umbrella
organization for the network .The other charities in the WCRF network are World
Cancer Research Fund in the UK (www.wcrf-uk.org); Wereld Kanker Onderzoek Fonds
in the Netherlands (www.wcrf-nl.org); World Cancer Research Fund Hong Kong
(www.wcrf-hk.org); and Fonds Mondial de Recherche contre le Cancer in France
(www.fmrc.fr).