Introduction
It is important to note that one of the most recent and popular nutrition trends involves the ketogenic or keto diet. It is a form of eating where the majority of nutrients come from fat and protein sources with a minimal dosage of carbohydrates. When it comes to this form of eating, there are several claims made regarding the keto diet ranging from weight loss to cancer prevention.
The Selected Nutrition Claim and Trustworthiness of the Source
In the article, “Why Is the Keto Diet Good for You?” written by Ana Gotter and medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, the nutrition expert provides seven benefits of the ketogenic diet. These include improvement of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), seizure reduction, brain function protection, heart health enhancement, cancer risk decrease, acne removal, and weight loss (Gotter par. 1). The given evaluation will mainly focus on the weight loss claim to ensure the precision and specificity of the assessment. The reviewer is a Master of Science (MS) and a Registered Dietitian (RD), which is why her review increases the credibility of the article. Jillian Kubala’s profile shows that she is experienced, trustworthy, credible, and educated on the subject. However, the author herself lacks any form of credentials to confirm that the source is not biased. Therefore, this piece of writing can be trusted for the most part due to the reviewer only.
The claim is published in Medical News Today, and it is a fairly reliable source of nutrition information for the public as a form of popular media. It does not hold the same level of credibility as academic journals or peer-reviewed research papers but contains the necessary links for any reader to check the sources of the information. The article does not directly or explicitly state who paid for the nutrition claim, but the payer is likely the website itself. The Keto diet is not a product or service on its own, which means that there is no party or organization with interest in promoting it besides the medical community. There are indeed companies capitalizing on the ‘keto’ trend by selling supplements, but the article does not promote such products. Thus, there is no potential source of bias or conflict of interest.
The Reliability and Strength of the Research Presented in the Claim Source
Each subsection of the claim is supported by a mix of evidence, which is mainly comprised of actual research published in peer-reviewed journals as well as the Medical News Today website. It is the former part that makes the research supporting the claim solid, reliable, strong, and credible. In the case of weight loss, the research article states, “the rapid and sustained weight and FM loss induced by VLCK-diet in obese subjects did not induce the expected reduction in RMR” (Gomez-Arbelaez et al. 1). The finding corresponds to the claim that “the ketogenic diet may help promote weight loss in several ways, including boosting metabolism and reducing appetite” (Gotter par. 6). The research was a clinical trial intervention with both lifestyle and behavioral modifications. As with any diet or nutrition-related study, there is a multitude of possible confounding variables, but the most significant one would be better dietary awareness and reduction of consumption of processed food. The study was conducted across four months on 20 obese human subjects (Gomez-Arbelaez et al. 1). A notable decrease in adipose weight and appetite without a reduction in resting metabolic rate was found.
The Overall Evaluation of the Nutrition Claim and Appropriateness of the Presented Perspectives
There are no mentions of how many studies support or reject the claim, but the article provides a separate section on adverse effects and risks alongside complications. For the latter, a source states, “close monitoring of renal functions while on a ketogenic diet is imperative, and the transition from a ketogenic diet to a standard diet should be gradual and well-controlled” (Masood et al. par. 17). In other words, the kidney risks are highlighted by the claimed source as well as its evidence. Other factors that have a more significant impact on health, fitness, wellness, and performance are acknowledged. The claimed source directly and explicitly states that one should “discuss any intended diet plan with a doctor, dietitian, or trusted healthcare provider” (Gotter par. 37). The ketogenic diet is proven to be highly effective at reducing fat mass among obese individuals without any loss regarding the compensational metabolic reduction (Gomez-Arbelaez et al. 1). The overall evaluation reveals that the claim is substantial, accurate, evidence-based, reliable, credible, and trustworthy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the given nutrition claim analysis and evaluation showed that the article written by Ana Gotter, medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, and published in Medical News Today is strong. It uses credible sources, such as peer-reviewed research articles, and it uses proper language to communicate the actual findings. In addition, the claimed source delivers information on the adverse effects of the keto diet with a warning to the readers about the importance of consulting medical professionals.
Works Cited
Gomez-Arbelaez, Diego, et al. “Resting Metabolic Rate of Obese Patients Under Very Low Calorie Ketogenic Diet.” Nutrition & Metabolism, vol. 15, no. 18, 2018, pp. 1-10.
Gotter, Ana. “Why Is the Keto Diet Good for You?” Medical News Today, 2020, Web.
Masood, Wajeed, et al. Ketogenic Diet. StatPearls Publishing, 2021.