In today’s digital age, fake news related to health and fitness is at its peak. Influencers explain the mathematics of health and fitness to their audience. Netflix has also made an entire series on one such Instagram celebrity Bell Gibson, who became a cancer patient and cheated crores by acquiring 2.3 million followers. There was one such case in which a person claimed to grow hair on bald head.
These some examples are normal. Truth, health and fitness information is available everywhere. People search on the Internet, see posts on social media or take tips from friends and relatives through messages. Many times people decide to give up medicines depend on the kitchen spices and later it becomes a problem for them. Most wrong or misleading information only mislead people. Fake health tips not only look reliable, but also become increasingly viral. In such a situation, it is important that you know how to differentiate in the right and wrong information about health-fitness.
Why does fake information seem true?
Many types of wrong information related to health are spread. Sometimes misleading claims are made with a little truth, sometimes people’s attention is attracted through sensational titles. For example, during Kovid-19 it was rumored that eating or drinking some foods could prevent viruses. It is true that bleach can kill the floor virus, but drinking it can be fatal.
Similarly, some claims are so attractive that people believe in them without thinking. For example, eating chocolate reduces weight. It sounds magical because it seems an easy and fun solution. Such claims spread rapidly because people find them amazing and hopeful.
Sensational news and social media role
Social media has played a major role in spreading fake health information. In 2019, a post went viral, claiming that ginger kills cancer in a better way than chemotherapy. This post was shared more than 8 lakh times on Facebook. In this, emotional stories, misleading graphs and old information were introduced in a new way, so that people shared it without checking. Psychiatrist Dr. Satyakant says that the misleading post often contains pictures of people or doctors of reliable organizations, which makes them look true. This misleading information is also used a lot in mental health matters. In this regard, health experts say that doctors should also be trained to react to such misinformation. The government should run awareness campaign against fake news spreading in health and fitness sector from time to time.
Wrong information causes damage
The rate of vaccination was reduced due to false rumors of the side effects of the vaccine during Corona, due to which diseases like measles returned again. Similarly, cinnamon has been described as a cure for cancer, due to which patients have to be hospitalized and even die. Due to wrong information, people ignore traditional treatment.
How to identify the correct information?
Check with a search engine: Do not take any health tips from one place. Search on Google and look at trusted sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Disease Control (CDC) or The Lancet. Apart from this, websites like Factcheck.org or Snopes can also help.
Check the source: Check the page “about us” the website ._ Learn about the author whether he has a reliable degree or is affiliated to an institution. Websites like .Gov or .EDU are usually reliable.
Do not share in doubt: If you do not trust the information, do not forward it. Spreading wrong information can be harmful.
