Keeping Our Wits About Us

Junkfood Science
By Sandy Szwarc
February 27, 2007

Excerpt…

Many dubious scares and claims about our foods, bodies and health continue to appear over and over again — year after year, decade after decade — even though they were long ago laid to rest by science.

When we hear things that leave us feeling anxious or worried, it is helpful to remember that fear is a marketing tactic. True science is impartial and doesn’t use fear to convince us of anything. And one of the most popular marketing tactics is to repeat scares and claims and get them in the news as often as possible. Press releases are issued and get reported, oftentimes when there is really no new science to report. Marketers know that we more easily believe something to be true when we hear it everywhere. And it is so easy for us to become frightened by things that sound “science-y” when, in reality, they really don’t make any scientific sense at all.

Another popular tactic among special interests is to file dockets or suits with a federal agency or court system in an attempt to give their assertions more legitimacy in our minds. Never mind that their concerns are repeatedly examined and debunked under scientific scrutiny — we rarely hear about those outcomes….

…There is no credible evidence that milk is anything but a perfectly safe, wholesome and nutritious food for growing children and those who choose to enjoy it. And, FDA petitions and lawsuits do not equate to good science, nor to claims which we need legitimately fear.

Sadly, however, such tactics have proven useful for special interests. And the FDA has not proven to be infallible and has capitulated to similar pressures in the past. That’s why, once again, we have to look at the strength of the actual science, not the marketing, politics or news reports…nor let fears get the better of our common sense.

To read the full article, visit Junkfood Science.

© 2007 Sandy Szwarc