Nutrition misinformation has become an increasingly visible feature of modern life. From viral posts on Instagram and TikTok to the rise of overly restrictive diet trends and the growing use of AI chatbots for health advice, individuals are constantly exposed to conflicting messages about food, supplements, and health. While much of the conversation rightly discusses how this affects patients, another equally important issue is its impact on student dietitians themselves.

Student dietitians are not insulated from the environments they work in. Before entering their training, they have often spent years absorbing the same social media narratives around nutrition as the general public. Ideas such as ‘carbohydrates are inherently bad’, ‘detox teas cleanse the body’, or that certain foods or supplements can dramatically alter health outcomes overnight are widespread. These messages, although frequently lacking scientific evidence, are encountered so often that they can start to feel like accepted facts and become part of a person’s understanding of nutrition. As a result, some students may begin their training with pre-existing beliefs that are not fully aligned with evidence-based practice.

This can be particularly problematic given the influential role dietitians and nutrition professionals play in shaping dietary decisions. Research involving 3,419 participants found that nutrition professionals were among the most trusted and relied upon sources for making dietary changes. As a result, student dietitians face the unique challenge of developing into trusted sources of evidence-based guidance while simultaneously examining and, in some cases, revising nutrition beliefs they may have acquired before entering training. Clinical placements often become a key setting where this process takes place, as students encounter real-world situations that require them to critically evaluate both patient beliefs and their own assumptions.

Clinical placements, particularly in hospital settings, can therefore present a complex learning experience. Students are not only applying theoretical knowledge to patient care, but also actively reshaping their own understanding of nutrition. At the same time, they encounter patients whose beliefs may also be shaped by misinformation. This dual exposure creates a layered challenge: students must navigate professional responsibilities while replacing prior assumptions with new, evidence-based perspectives.

For example, a student may meet a patient who is avoiding entire food groups due to information encountered online. While the student may have once sympathised with or even shared similar views, they are now expected to respond as a healthcare professional, drawing on clinical guidelines and research evidence. This can lead to moments of uncertainty, particularly in the early stages of training, where confidence in applying knowledge is still developing.

The challenge is amplified by the fact that misinformation rarely presents itself as obviously false information. Research into diet-nutrition misinformation drawing on the expertise of approximately 60 dietetics, nutrition, and public health specialists demonstrated that potentially harmful content often contains a mixture of accurate information, omissions, misleading framing, overgeneralisation, and unsupported claims. This can make misinformation difficult to recognise, particularly when it aligns with existing beliefs or appears consistent with common health advice.

The presence of misinformation in both personal and clinical contexts stresses the need for a more careful approach to dietetic education. It is not enough to provide students with scientific knowledge. Programmes must also equip them with the skills to critically evaluate information, identify misinformation, recognise its potential clinical risks, and reflect on their own beliefs. Developing strong critical appraisal skills is fundamental, enabling students to distinguish between high-quality evidence and persuasive but unreliable claims.

Equally important is engaging in reflective practice. Encouraging students to examine their own assumptions about food, supplements, and health can help prevent unconscious bias from influencing patient interactions. This process requires a supportive learning environment, where questioning and self-reflection are actively encouraged rather than seen as a weakness.

Communication skills also play a central role. Addressing misinformation in clinical settings is rarely straightforward. Patients may feel strongly attached to their beliefs, particularly if these are reinforced by online communities or personal experiences. Student dietitians must learn to engage in respectful, empathetic conversations that acknowledge patients’ perspectives while gently guiding them towards evidence-based understanding. This requires not only knowledge, but also confidence and emotional intelligence.

Supervision during placements is therefore crucial. Experienced dietitians can model effective ways of challenging misinformation without alienating patients, demonstrating how to balance professionalism with empathy. This includes empowering patients to evaluate nutrition claims and information sources for themselves, using practical approaches such as the World Cancer Research Fund’s TRUST Test, which incorporates misinformation detection indicators validated by researchers at UCL, and other evidence-based frameworks for assessing credibility. Open discussions between students and supervisors can also provide a safe space to explore uncertainties and support learning.

Ultimately, addressing nutrition misinformation is not only about addressing potentially harmful patient misconceptions. It is also a fundamental part of shaping competent and reflective healthcare professionals.  Developing strong critical appraisal and patient-centred communication skills is essential to this process. These skills involve translating complex evidence into meaningful conversations, establishing credibility and trust with patients, and supporting them in making safer, better-informed decisions. By recognising that student dietitians are both learners and members of the wider community, educators can better support their development and ensure that students qualify to become more nuanced healthcare professionals.

Authors

Sophie Turigel

Sophie is a Senior Dietitian specialising in Gastroenterology and Nutritional Support at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. She provides expert nutritional care for patients with complex gastrointestinal and medical conditions, while also supporting the development of future dietitians through clinical supervision and training. Sophie is actively involved with the British Dietetic Association (BDA), contributing resources and professional support to the wider dietetic community. Her work combines evidence-based clinical practice, education, and service development to improve patient care and professional standards within dietetics.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophieturigel/

Alex Ruani

Alex is a health misinformation researcher at University College London, chief science educator at The Health Sciences Academy where she leads large-scale educational and publishing initiatives that have reached over 100,000 health and nutrition professionals in 170+ countries, elected council member of the Royal Society of Medicine Food and Health Council, and part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Fides network. Her work brings together digital governance, public health, and the ethical dimensions of innovation, with implications for healthcare systems, regulatory frameworks, and global health policy.

UCL Profile: https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/63386-alex-ruani

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandraruani/

Declarations of Interests
The authors have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: none.