title: The quality of the evidence for dietary advice given in UK national newspapers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Newspaper reports advocating dietary intake changes may impact on dietary choice and food related health beliefs. The scientific basis and quality of evidence underpinning these reports is uncertain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the scientific quality of newspaper reporting related to dietary advice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles offering dietary advice from the top ten selling UK newspapers for a randomly selected week were assessed using two established evidence grading scales: developed by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 111 dietary health claims identified, 72% and 68% (assessed by WCRF and SIGN criteria respectively) had levels of evidence lower than the convincing or probable categories that are recommended for dietary health claims.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Misreporting of dietary advice by UK newspapers is widespread and may contribute to public misconceptions about food and health.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: Benjamin E J
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ben M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Goldacre
authors.forename: Thomas A B
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sanders
keywords: foods; health; health claim; newspaper article; systematic review