A January 3, 2005 column called "Group Lists Top Unfounded Health Scares of 2004" by Andi Atwater on www.News-Press.com recounts ACSH's report The Top Ten Unfounded Health Scares of 2004:
A scientific consumer education group has compiled the Top 10 Unfounded Health Scares of 2004, a list of some of the scariest but least scientifically accurate health findings propagated by the media last year.
The American Council on Science and Health is a nonprofit board of 350 physicians and scientists who review media coverage, scientific research and public policy to, the group says, add reason and balance to debates about public health issues.
Some items on the list will upset people, particularly those who believe strongly the information is true and that it affected their lives. Other items will make people shake their heads in disbelief, much like those who often debunk those abundant urban legends perpetuated on the Internet.
At the very least, the council hopes readers take away one valuable lesson: Put things in perspective.
"The real reason we're so concerned about these unfounded scares is because they distract us from the real measures we know we can take that actually protect our health," council spokesman Jeff Stier said. "The take-home message is that consumers need to use common sense, be skeptical and pay attention to the things that matter."
Things such as exercising, eating healthy, quitting smoking, wearing a bike helmet and fastening seat belts -- actions everyone knows for a fact enhance lives, Stier added.
He said most of these incomplete or sensationalized media reports were based on small studies with very limited information not proven accurate or, in some cases, scientifically valid. The real risk, if any, is very small, he said.
"If you're concerned about your health, there are a lot of things you can do to protect and improve your health," Stier said. "Running after scares is not one of them..."