The Health Institute of Nutrition

Ever since the Institute first opened its cyber-doors way back in January of 2008, we’ve received almost three e-mails from literally two readers, some of whom doubtlessly wondered, “What all this talk about ‘good facts’ and ‘bad facts’? How can a fact be bad?”

We here at the Institute look at three simple criteria before judging whether a fact is good or not. They are:

1. Is it convenient?

2. Is it fair?
3. Does it agree with what everybody knows?

A so-called “fact” which is inconvenient or unfair, or challenges what you already know about the world, is hardly worthy of being called a “fact” in the first place. Bad facts such as these are to be avoided at all costs, and excluded from your mental diet.

Take, for instance, some of facts that have been splashed all over the internet lately, mostly at the chubby hands of the Fat Acceptance Movement:

The BMI standards were changed in 1998, making more people officially overweight and obese than would have been otherwise.

This statement is “true”, and thus it technically fulfills the definition of a fact. However, if we’re trying to talk about how dangerous the skyrocketing obesity rates are, this fact can only get in the way. It is therefore a bad fact.

Frequent dieting leads to long-term health risks.

This one is just plain unfair. Dieters are making the right choice. Nobody should be punished for doing what’s what right. Bad fact all the way.

A third fact:

There is less risk of excess mortality associated with being in the overweight category (if non-smoking) than in the underweight one.

That one is both highly inconvenient and downright unfair. People in the underweight category are thin. This means they are doing everything right with their lives. Any fact which suggests they may be harming themselves by doing so is a bad fact. Further, it conflicts with something that everybody knows: it is healthier to be skinny than to be overweight.

Therefore, this qualifies as a bad fact on all three criteria.

So, when you’re confronted by a fact about the Obesity Crisis, you now know how to recognize if it is bad.

Another important tip: while these bad facts are unfortunately a little bit on the true side, they are often touted as being “undeniably true.” That’s demonstrably wrong: when somebody tries to tell you one, just look at them and go “Nuh uh.” You have just denied a bad fact.

On the other hand, if you tell one hundred random people that you think it’s healthier to be skinny than to be even a little overweight, they will all agree without hesitation*. This is because good facts really are undeniably true.

And remember, while you can recognize some facts as being bad on the surface, the only sure way to know if a fact is good is if you get it from the Institute.

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*Results not typical