Misinformation in nutrition through the case of coconut oil: An online before-and-after study

Ana C. Duarte, Bernardo Frison Spiazzi, Eduarda Nunes Merello, Carmen Raya Amazarray, Laura Sulzbach de Andrade, Mariana P. Socal, Antonio J. Trujillo, Elisa Brietzke, Verônica Colpani, Fernando Gerchman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background and aims: Despite recent scientific evidence indicating absence of cardiometabolic benefit resulting from coconut oil intake, its consumption has increased in recent years, which can be attributed to a promotion of its use on social networks. We evaluated the patterns, reasons and beliefs related to coconut oil consumption and its perceived benefits in an online survey of a population in southern Brazil. Methods and results: We conducted a before-and-after study using an 11-item online questionnaire that evaluated coconut oil consumption. In the same survey, participants who consumed coconut oil received an intervention to increase literacy about the health effects of coconut oil intake. We obtained 3160 valid responses. Among participants who consumed coconut oil (59.1%), 82.5% considered it healthy and 65.4% used it at least once a month. 81.2% coconut oil consumers did not observe any health improvements. After being exposed to the conclusions of a meta-analysis showing that coconut oil does not show superior health benefits when compared to other oils and fats, 73.5% of those who considered coconut oil healthy did not change their opinion. Among individuals who did not consume coconut oil, 47.6% considered it expensive and 11.6% deemed it unhealthy. Conclusions: Coconut oil consumption is motivated by the responders’ own beliefs in its supposed health benefits, despite what scientific research demonstrates. This highlights the difficulty in deconstructing inappropriate concepts of healthy diets that are disseminated in society.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1375-1384
Number of pages10
JournalNutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases
Volume32
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2022

Keywords

  • Coconut oil
  • Health information
  • Internet
  • Online
  • Social media
  • Survey

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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