Children who eat a healthy diet are more likely to become healthy adults and have a reduced risk of many diseases, seeking accurate and reliable health information is crucial.

But trying to find reliable and consistent nutrition information for your child's health is becoming difficult. The media, friends, family, magazines and so called experts all offer differing advice about what foods we should be offering our children for good health and how we can encourage them to eat healthy foods.

It is sometimes difficult to determine if this advice is credible, a sales pitch or just a passing fad. Sports endorsement of sugary breakfast cereals is a classic example - media advertisements and sports role models actively encourage the consumption of certain sugary breakfast cereals - even though it is unhealthy and not an appropriate breakfast food for children or athletes.

How accurate is the information you receive and pass on?

The Ten Red Flags of nutrition misinformation¹ can help you decide if something may be untrue, inaccurate or need more explanation. If one or more of these apply to information you receive, then you may want to find some more reputable advice.

1. Recommendations that promise a quick fix.
2. Dire warnings of danger from a single product or regimen.
3. Claims that sound too good to be true.
4. Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study.
5. Recommendations based on a single study.
6. Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations.
7. Lists of "good" and "bad" foods.
8. Recommendations made to help sell a product.
9. Recommendations based on studies published without peer review.
10. Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals or groups.

Where can you find accurate nutrition information?

To find reliable information, look for nutrition websites, programs and presentations run by reputable organisations. These staff present information based on realistic and credible evidence, and whose intentions are to improve public health, not make sales. Reputable organisations in Western Australia include the Department of Health, and Non-Government Organisations such as National Heart Foundation, Diabetes WA, Red Cross, Cancer Council WA, Dietitians Association of Australia or Nutrition Australia.

The best source of nutrition information is from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian. Dietitians are recognised professionals with nationally recognised qualifications and skills to provide expert nutrition and dietary advice. Local Dietitians's can be found from The Dietitians Association of Australia website www.daa.asn.au - ‘Find an APD'.

Reference
1. Institute of Food Technologists. 1995. FANSA's 10 Red Flags of Junk Science. Chicago: Food and Nutrition Science Alliance.