Dirty Tricks/Dirty Dozen/EWG, Oprah's Special (Infomercial?), RD Spotlight, Free CPEU & more
3/22/24
😡Dirty Tricks of the EWG (Environmental Working Group)
It’s that time of year again, “Spring forward” …flowers start to bloom, you get your post-winter pedicure….and it’s time for the annual release of the fearmongering EWG’s “Dirty/Dozen/Clean 15” lists.
From Dr. Andrea Love - Viewpoint: The Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list is a danger to public health put out by an organic industry funded activist group - Genetic Literacy Project
It’s sad to see people and news outlets who should know better (already spotted Dr. David Katz ,CNN and Fox News), sharing and promoting the “Dirty Dozen”.
DYK
1. EWG is strongly tied to organic brands: Environmental Working Group (EWG) - InfluenceWatch - InfluenceWatch
2. Lack of context. Pesticide residues are measured in parts per BILLION: see the Safe Fruits and Veggies calculator to find how much of different fruits/veg consumption per day could potentially be harmful.
3. Blog - Safe Fruits and Veggies - has several blogs with lots of hyperlinks explaining EWG and debunking their misinformation and fearmongering and how they can actually result in decreasing overall intake of fruits and vegetables.
📺🤔Reactions to Oprah’s Special on Obesity Meds
On Monday night (3/18) Oprah did a show on obesity medications on ABC. (and once again a reminder, Ozempic is what is prescribed for T2 Diabetes and WEGOVY is what is Rx’d for Obesity)
Dietitian reactions to the show were mixed, many observed the “informercial” or advertisement tone and quality of this special while it did provide some good information. Here were some comments from our Facebook page and our Build Up Dietitians Weight Management and Bariatrics Group that got some of the most agreement/”likes”:
Jen M. “These drugs are beneficial to many who need them to manage obesity and chronic disease, and I suspect these meds are not going anywhere anytime soon. As dietitians, we need to learn about them ...”
Sarah B. “…I find it really difficult to watch someone of incredible wealth and privilege speak about a drug that’s rapidly becoming difficult to obtain, in part, because of celebrities like her. Did she have some valid points? Sure. Obesity is a disease and should be treated as such. And the tide is slowly changing on that aspect of obesity in terms of public perception….”
Kelly D. - “They did a good job on highlighting why some people benefit from the shot…Talked a little on the side effects. But nothing in depth on how people are using it the wrong way (just not eating, qualifying for it while having a normal BMI, all the med spas who are selling it mixed with other vitamins etc). Would have loved to have a RD on there to discuss some nutrition tips while taking the meds...”
Laura S. “I love that she used patient first language and that she emphasized that obesity was a disease, not a character flaw. I cried. However, I do think that they made meds look like magic….Didn't mention that they should be working with an RD to be sure that they have the right nutrition. But overall, I think it will bring more awareness to the disease of obesity and hopes for treatment!”
💡Spotlight: Dietitian Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RD, LD
@DietitianSherry on IG, X, and Facebook, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherrycolemancollins/
Question to Sherry: Can you give a snapshot of what you have done in your career as a dietitian and maybe what you liked best about each one?
Clinical pediatric nutrition (IBD focus) - loved working with kids and their families to improve their lives.
School nutrition - feeding kids is fun and school meals fill a critical need.
Private practice/Consulting (food allergies focus) - I like being able to spend as much time as I want with clients and take on unusual projects for commodity, CPG, and corporate clients.
Nutrition communications - as a writer, speaker, and podcaster, I love making nutrition science easy for people and reaching a bigger audience.
Question to Sherry: Where do you see the field of dietetics in 10 years?
“… I've always said, "anywhere there is food, there's a role for an RDN" and I think that'll be even more evident in the coming years…RDNs can still work in clinical, agriculture, and foodservice, as well as more roles in R&D for food companies, retail, community, and culinary. I think we'll see roles for RDNs expand for using MNT in emerging areas like nutrition and mental health and the many conditions impacted by the microbiome. I think we need to be mindful of scope creep, using the evidence and harnessing emerging trends…And I think effective communication is one of the most essential skills we need to learn and use.”
👶Question from our Pediatrics Group
Build Up Dietitians PEDIATRICS | Facebook
Jen C. - “You are treating the child AND the parents/caregivers. And parents are usually the harder to deal with.”
Jennifer W. - “It’s extremely rewarding and heartbreaking at the same time.”
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