Research Guides: Health & Nutrition Research Guide: Evaluating Health Information on the Web

Evaluating Health Information on the Web

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When it comes to health related web research, beware that both helpful and harmful information is lurking on the Internet.

Did you know?

That 59% of U.S. adults have looked online for health information in the past year?
That 35% of U.S. adults say the have used the internet to try to figure out what medical condition they or another may have?
Source: Pew Research Center – 2013

Advocacy sites – These web sites usually present views of a particular group or association. The URL address of the page frequently ends in .org. Some health advocacy sites are excellent sources of information. Example: Diabetes.org. BEWARE - Not all .org sites are legitimate!
Business/Marketing sites disguised as News Pages. Sponsored by a commercial enterprise, usually it is a page that makes money from embedded advertising. The URL address of the page frequently ends in .com. Some commercial sites offer information and research but it usually supports the product or service they are trying to sell. Example: Medical News Today and Healthline.
Informational Sites – Purpose is to present factual information. The URL address frequently ends in .edu or .gov, since educational institutions or government agencies sponsor many of these pages. Example: MedlinePlus.gov Be aware that students can publish on .edu sites and not all information you find on an .edu is credible or peer-reviewed.

Food & Nutrient Information Center - USDA
The Food and Nutrition Information Center - a leader in food and human nutrition information dissemination since 1971 - provides credible, accurate, and practical resources for nutrition and health professionals, educators, government personnel and consumers.
Food Data Central
Find nutrient information on over 8,000 foods using this new and improved search feature. You can now search by food item, group, or list to find the nutrient information for your food items.
Food Safety
Your Gateway to Federal Food Safety Information
Medlineplus.gov - Health Information
MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free
National Eating Disorders Association
Nutrition.gov
Providing easy, online access to government information on food and human nutrition for consumers
Nutrition Source - Harvard School of Public Health
The overarching mission of Harvard School of Public Health is to advance the public’s health through learning, discovery, and communication.
PubMed
More than 20 million citations for biomedical literature. If you find an article you would like to have, contact a reference librarian for full-text access.

These websites will help educate you on how to evaluate health information online.

1. Consider the Source

Who is responsible for the content? Is there a possibility of bias?

2. Focus on Quality

Does the site have an editorial board? Who wrote this information?

3. Be a Cyberskeptic

Does the site make health claims that seem too good to be true? Are they asking you to buy something?

4. Look for the Evidence

Is the claim based on research? What study? Is it opinion?

5. Check for Currency

When was the site published or last updated?

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PubMed instructional video
Find out how to use PubMed and discover all the new features on this popular medical website.