The dissertation defense will be open and held virtually.
This event has passed. The written dissertation or abstract is available by clicking the link below.
The PhD in Translational Health Sciences Program is proud to announce the Dissertation Defense of:
PhD Candidate: Lindsay Yarabek Datlow, MS, RD
Lost in Translation? Communicating Nutrition Science
Dissertation Committee Chair: Mary Corcoran, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
July 27, 2022, 10-12 pm ET
The news media has become a primary source for nutrition information, yet a vast majority of Americans view the nutrition news they read as inconsistent and confusing (International Food Information Council [IFIC], 2006, 2011, 2017). Recent inquiry provides empirical evidence that nutrition confusion could be fueled by the media. The purpose of this study was to learn how the news media translates nutrition research and describe the mechanisms of action in this phenomenon using the recent release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 (DGA) as a case study. Findings revealed that the perceptions drawn from the news media were skewed, covering “newsworthy” aspects of the release instead of translating the core nutrition news. It was found that this lack of translation was due to overarching mechanisms of financial incentives. This indicates there is room for improved translation. Recommendations for increased collaboration between the government and the media were developed, as well as recommendations for future research.