Rebecca P
I'm a Food and Nutritional Studies University of Reading graduate. I have just started working in Product Creation for a sports supplement company in London and am loving it!
Location London
Activity
-
Rebecca P replied to Yuriko Goto
Using the latest studies and published evidence to write these articles can results in contradicting headlines, often only a few months apart! It's a constantly evolving field of knowledge, which doesn't help the average consumer make educated decisions on which foods to include/cut out of their diet.
-
The food we eat has a huge impact on our mental health. 90% of our serotonin receptors are found in the gut! It's great to be aware of how certain foods can impact our mental wellbeing, especially in the current climate.
-
Yes, the crossover study design is another type of research! It has some benefits, such as corroborating any findings found during the first phase of the study by reproducing them in the second phase and allowing for the direct comparison of a participant's results against the same participant at the end of the study.
However, a limitation of this type of... -
Great point! Science is a dynamic field, and it can be easy for the public to fall into the trap of thinking that a new theory/finding is absolute and set in stone. Our ever-changing understanding of topics is what makes science so exciting!
-
Rebecca P made a comment
Health claims are a very tightly regulated area! This has caused any claims for the benefits of probiotics to be prohibited. Do you think these rules for health claims are fair?
-
Rebecca P replied to Nikki Cole
Unfortunately, in the UK anyone can call themselves a nutritionist as it's not a legally protected title. This is not the same for dieticians. Individuals who DO have nutrition qualifications (myself included!) can apply to be registered associated nutritionist (ANutr).
-
Rebecca P made a comment
What do you think about the quality of the study?
-
Rebecca P replied to Haydn Blackey
Peer reviewing is a crucial method of monitoring scientific articles that are published. Without it, the field of nutrition would very quickly become muddied with false claims, which would mislead and confuse consumers.
-
@HaydnBlackey I use the same technique as you - I find it often saves lots of time!
-
'Moderation' is a tricky term to define as it varies so much from person to person! Providing a precise figure/target for the public to aim for (such as 5-a-day) makes it simple and seem attainable for the public, even if in practice, the exact amount of any diet component varies hugely from person to person.
-
Processed foods do make up nearly all of our diet, and the broad term 'processed food' is thrown around a lot. If you take a carrot and cut it into sticks, does that then count as a processed food?
-
Rebecca P replied to Astra Parsons
@BarbaraK-S It's good to be able to take the information we're given in specific studies and also consider the knowledge we already have on the topic - as you say, if you never exposed yourself to sunlight after reading that UV rays were carcinogenic, you'd be severely deficient in vitamin D! There are risks and benefits to all foods.
-
It can be very overwhelming with so many articles being posted every day - hopefully, this course will help you make sense of it all!
-
@SabineLucas That is a fantastic idea!
-
Rebecca P made a comment
Do you have a method of reading scientific research papers? Do you start with the introduction and then skip to the conclusion, or, do you always read the full paper?
-
Rebecca P replied to Hamish Morrison
This is true - the article is written in a confusing and slightly contradicting way - if the reader actually makes it to the end. If the reader was short on time, I'm sure they stop reading after hearing what they wanted to hear!
-
It's a fascinating subject and one which not only has academic benefits but can also be utilised in your own personal life to directly benefit your health and lifestyle goals!
-
This is very true, being educated on nutrition, and having the knowledge to consume a healthy diet is a privilege that not everyone has access to.
-
Rebecca P replied to SUZY HYATT
The best way to understand tricky topics is to put yourself out there and practice answering questions/getting involved in discussions - you're doing a great job!
-
Rebecca P replied to Helen Sharman
I'm glad to hear you've enjoyed this first week, Helen!
-
This is an interesting point - scientific articles are written in an orderly, logical manner (and therefore, quite boring) manner. Often 'good' studies (large sample size, unbiased) struggle to reach a completely objective conclusion, which wouldn't result in an eye-catching headline; so smaller studies with perhaps more anomalous results are used by...
-
Rebecca P replied to Ian HEMPSHALL
Great point - funding bias has been known to cause unsubstantiated conclusions in the past!
-
It's a very important factor, but not one that everyone knows to consider!
-
Rebecca P replied to Haydn Blackey
That's a great observation - where the study participants are from (and other participant characteristics) are important to look at and consider when reading the conclusion of a study. Often study participant characteristics are considered a limitation of a study (e.g. because of a lack of diversity - such as all the study participants being white males).
-
Rebecca P replied to Haydn Blackey
That's a good idea - reading the study abstract is a quick way to gain an understanding over the paper without having to read several pages! Then, if a particular aspect of the study interests you, you can look into the study in more depth.
-
It's great to be aware of your own potential bias when reading news articles and studies!
-
Great point - families with a lower disposable income are more likely to struggle with certain recommendations for healthier lunch box alternative. Also, education surrounding healthy food choices is key!
-
Good point! Often media will highlight a certain finding of a study, without explaining or considering the multitude of other genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that should be taken into account.
-
That's a very good point! Our lifestyles are often busy, and rushing through headlines can result in misunderstanding the true conclusions and limitations of studies portrayed in the media.
-
Rebecca P replied to Winnie Wong
@WinnieWong Those are some great reasons to take this course - I'm excited to hear how this course will help you in those areas!
-
Being able to read articles and information critically to draw your own conclusion is a great skill to have!
-
Rebecca P made a comment
Hi! I'm Becca, and I am a graduate of Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Reading. I'm here to answer any questions you may have and to discuss any areas you find interesting about the course!
