Newspapers and magazines, whether printed or online, can be good sources for health information. The size or popularity of a newspaper or magazine is not a good indicator of reliability. A better indicator is whether a business that manufactures or sells medications or medical devices produced the newspaper or magazine. Newspapers and magazines produced by businesses that earn profits from the healthcare industry are not reliable. Reliable articles are written by experts and confirmed by other, reliable sources. When in doubt, ask your school’s library media specialist about a reliable media source. Library media specialists specialize in finding and evaluating sources, so you can rely on their advice. Using a library and working with a library media specialist to find health information ensures your sources are reliable. One of the most reliable ways to get accurate health information is to ask your doctor or another healthcare professional. Your doctor can give you scientifically accurate information about your health and answers to your questions. Talking with your parents or guardians or another trusted adult, and interpreting and evaluating what they tell you, can help you learn more about health. Evaluating Health Information “Get six-pack abs in two weeks!” “You’ll catch a cold if you go outside with wet hair.” “The bumps on your skull reveal your character.” “Cell phones cause brain cancer.” “Caffeinated energy drinks will make you perform better on exams.” These are some examples of the thousands of health claims in magazines, on websites, in the media, and in advertisements. Science supports none of these claims. If you act on these claims, you could waste money and time and harm your health. Health and wellness are science-based disciplines. Your health and wellness depend on reliable information. You need to separate information grounded in science from health claims based on rumor, folk stories, and pseudoscience. Identifying scientifically accurate information will help you maintain your health and make responsible consumer decisions. Science is a body of knowledge based on observation and experimentation (Figure 2.7). Science answers questions about the natural world—including the human body, health, and diseases. science body of knowledge based on observation and experimentation answers questions about the natural world drvector/Shutterstock.com Figure 2.7 Health-related information that does not meet these criteria is not grounded in science. What is the name for theories and health claims that are not science-based? Science Based on experimentation and observation ● ● Backed by a significant amount of scientific research Repeatable ● ● Confirmed by other scientists who conduct the same experiment Peer-reviewed ● ● Published in scientific journals following careful scrutiny by qualified scientists Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 44 Unit 1 Promoting a Lifetime of Health and Wellness