Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (Spring 2001)

Which of the four options would you pick as the health topic you find most confusing? 

a) Stress Management
b) Heart Health
c) Nutrition
d) Exercise

If you picked "c) nutrition," you agree with the majority polled during my informal survey. The result was hardly surprising. Type the word “nutrition” into a search engine and you might be startled by the number of hits returned: 2,500 Yahoo! category matches with 50,000 nutrition listings in Yahoo! Shopping. The volume of Web sites hawking the latest nutrition information is daunting. How is anyone without training in the field expected to know how to separate professional caliber information from mere opinion? This is particularly true when greeted by new information touting what is "in" and what is "out," nutritionally speaking, on a daily basis!

American Dietetic Association

www.eatright.org
Enter the official Web site of the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Founded 84 years ago in Cleveland, Ohio, the ADA claims almost 70,000 members, including clinical and community dietitians, consultants, food service managers, educators, researchers, dietetic technicians and students. The site offers information for consumers in addition to hosting an area for “members only.” Professionals will find blurbs on the annual meeting, ADA policies and initiatives, as well as information about dietetic careers. 

Consumers will have a field day. Make your first visit a time saver by clicking on site index, a link at the bottom of ADA's home page. Scroll down and in seconds you'll have a feel for eatright.org's content, no doubt spotting something you'd like to explore in greater depth. Perhaps you want to lose weight sensibly—click Dieting for Dummies. (Aren't you glad these guys have a sense of humor!) Perhaps you're thinking ahead to summer picnics, determined to be a pro by knowing the latest in food safety. Maybe you'd like a layman's list of good nutrition sources or information on the food pyramid. You'll find this and more by visiting the knowledge center. Perhaps the most unique option is: "Find a Registered Dietitian." Prompts will ask for your zip code/mile radius, and/or city/state in addition to services needed. Submit the request and information on a local dietetic professional will be returned.

If you're tired of negotiating the nutritional maze, eatright.org is a great place to start looking for answers.