Although the days of quack doctors peddling their "miracle cures" seems to be a thing of the past, they've got a successor-the fake health blogger. Although they've got a professional website, a huge following, and brand sponsorships, a closer look reveals that most of their dogma is just bad science. Here's how to spot phony fitness blogs.
Thinkstock
What They Promise is Too Good to Be True
Feeling better is one thing, making claims about curing terminal cancer is another. We all know that healthy lifestyles come with a lot of benefits, but some bloggers try to take advantage of this to promise unrealistic results. Check with a healthcare professional before making any significant lifestyle change, and remember that every body is different.
Thinkstock
They Use Scare Tactics with No Evidence
Some food bloggers will use scare tactics to prove a point about their particular way of life-like claiming that all "chemicals" in food are toxic. It's good to know about the different things in your food, but lots of chemicals are naturally occurring and harmless in normal amounts.
Thinkstock
They Donu2019t Disclose Their Sponsors
Many new-age health products will pay bloggers to advocate their new "miracle cure." Although the Federal Trade Commission requires bloggers to disclose whether they're working with sponsors or not, be sure to keep a careful eye on why bloggers are touting a certain product.
Thinkstock
They Use Research that Hasnu2019t Been Proven
If you need to be reminded of the importance of fact-checking, look no further than the story of John Bohannon, who made a fake study (that people actually believed!) about chocolate helping you lose weight, all to prove that we need to pay more attention to "research" done by "professionals."
Thinkstock
They Favor Pseudoscience Over Real Science
Many phony health bloggers claim to be experts in "new" or "alternative" medicine. They will often back up their stories with exaggerated testimonials or appealing language. Here are some tips from Forbes on distinguishing real science from the fake stuff.
Thinkstock
They Use Deceptive Imagery
Phony bloggers use things like Photoshop or other "smoke and mirror" tactics to exaggerate results of a weight-loss program or diet fad. This fitness blogger demonstrated that with just a few simple adjustments that took all of 3 minutes, she had a convincing "before/after" photo.
Thinkstock
Theyu2019re Quick to Attack Others in Order to Defend Themselves
When asked for more information, many fake bloggerswill attack those asking questions as people working on behalf of "big business" or trying to work "against the movement." Real health experts are willing to take questions and admit they're wrong, if necessary.