March is National Nutrition Month. And, while I tend to be pretty focused on food throughout the entire year, it seems somehow more
appropriate to be preoccupied with it as part of a recognized awareness effort.
The food and nutrition landscape is complicated. Words like natural, organic, healthy, whole grains and low fat are used so frequently in so many ways that often messages are either confusing or simply tuned out. Add to that reports on topics as far ranging as the connection between red meat and mortality to the hypothesis that a diet high in soy may lead to a lower risk of prostate cancer. And that was only this week!
These days, the simple act of deciding what to eat for dinner can be exhausting. How much protein do I really need? Should I or shouldn’t I eat soy? What exactly is a “nightshade food”? Am I alkaline enough or too acidic (and what does that even mean, anyway)?!
In a recent press release, registered dietitian and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics President Sylvia Escott-Stump said that the organization wants to help people improve nutritional health “by translating sound, science- and evidence-based research into messages they can understand and apply to their everyday lives.” I would certainly agree that science can be a guiding light, illuminating the way around one’s dinner plate. And, I know from the work Spectrum does on behalf of our clients that the most compelling messages are those backed by science. But, in the food and nutrition space, there is quite a lot of science bandied about these days. And a great deal of it is may be – unfortunately — misunderstood.
Truthfully, these complicated nutritional times are equally challenging for food and nutrition organizations. Intense competition, coupled with increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies, make it pretty tough terrain to navigate. Amidst the barrage of claims that range all shades of grey, science is more concrete, more black and white. It is the proof that a product, in fact, does what it claims to.
So what can we do? In my opinion, there remains a fair amount of personal accountability and, frankly, homework incumbent upon the average consumer (of food). And if we are the students, businesses, brands and advocacy groups are the teachers. They can provide a great deal of value doing just as Ms. Escott-Stump suggests: translating the science in ways that we can all better understand. And for those companies with the science to back up their nutritional claims, here’s your mandate: share it! Make science the platform for your marketing efforts. Help to educate consumers and, in so doing, support people’s efforts to strive for good health.
In the meantime, what should I have for a snack?