SIRC findings echoed by US study
SIRC's findings on the adverse psychological side effects of health warnings have been echoed in a US study from Cornell's National Nutrition Information Center. The Cornell survey identifies up to 59% of Americans as 'flip-floppers', who constantly change their eating habits in response to conflicting health information about food – a classification similar to SIRC's 'riskfactorphobics'.
The US study also indicates that at least one in five Americans may be affected by what SIRC has called 'warning-fatigue', where they eventually give up and stop paying any attention to new information on nutrition. Like SIRC, the Cornell researchers recognise the dangers of both of these responses, and call for greater caution from those who dispense nutrition advice.
SIRC is currently developing – with the Royal Institution and a panel of leading scientists, doctors and media representatives – a Code of Practice on reporting of science and health issues in the media, which will help to improve communication on nutrition in Britain, and perhaps serve as a model for the development of similar guidelines in the US.
