The Short Shelf-life Of Truth: Debunking Meat Myths Doesn’t Last

A caller study reveals that while nan “truth sandwich” tin quickly debunk stubborn myths astir meat, its effectiveness wanes without repeated reinforcement, underscoring nan situation of achieving lasting dietary change.

Study: Debunking nutrient myths utilizing nan truth sandwich: A longitudinal research among German nutrient consumers. Image Credit: Maksim Denisenko / Shutterstock

In a caller study published successful nan diary Food Quality and Preference, researchers tested a circumstantial and comparatively caller myth-busting method called nan "truth sandwich" connected a quota-based typical sample of 537 German nutrient consumers. Study findings revealed that nan truth sandwich method importantly reduced participants' statement pinch communal nutrient myths instantly aft exposure, without causing unintended reinforcement (backfire effects, which caller investigation suggests are rare).

However, erstwhile nan research was repeated pursuing a two-week spread successful nan proviso of debunked information, nan antecedently observed corrective effect had faded and go statistically non-significant, suggesting that while nan truth sandwich is simply a potent short-term myth-busting tool, lasting alteration requires much sustained strategies.

Background

Decades of in-depth technological investigation person established a clear and robust relation betwixt nan precocious depletion of reddish (and particularly processed) meats and nan accrued consequence of respective chronic diseases, including metabolic conditions, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and cancers.

Livestock farming has besides been identified arsenic a awesome driver of greenhouse state emissions and biodiversity loss, establishing nan meat-production manufacture arsenic unsustainable compared to plant-based alternatives. In response, nationalist wellness bodies, specified arsenic nan German Nutrition Society (DGE), now urge limiting big nutrient intake to astir 300 g per week.

Unfortunately, nationalist behaviour has been slow to change, pinch respective world reports suggesting migration from meat-based foods to sustainable and healthier alternatives is substantially slower than antecedently projected. This discrepancy has been partially attributed to persistent misinformation, often disseminated connected societal media.

Common myths, specified arsenic "meat is simply a basal portion of a patient diet," stay wide and are hypothesized to enactment arsenic important barriers to dietary change. Correcting these beliefs has historically proven notoriously difficult. Simply repeating a story to debunk it tin sometimes inadvertently reenforce it, a arena known arsenic nan “backfire effect.”

About nan study

The coming study intends to reside this connection breakdown by conducting nan first semipermanent effectiveness study to measure nan effectiveness of nan precocious projected “truth sandwich” debunking technique, a three-part building that starts pinch a fact, addresses and refutes nan myth, and concludes by reinforcing nan first fact.

Truth sandwich matter debunking nan health-related nutrient myth. Translated from German (original material) into English.

The study was conducted successful 2 parts: 1. A preliminary study (n = 1,005; 496 women) to place wide prevalent meat-associated myths, and 2. The main longitudinal research (n = 537; 263 women). The second cohort was randomly subdivided into 1 of 3 groups. Two groups publication a "truth sandwich" matter specifically designed to debunk either nan wellness story aliases nan biology myth. The 3rd group publication a neutral power matter astir patient eating.

Study methodology progressive measuring nan participants' statement pinch nan 2 astir prevalent myths (identified from nan first portion of nan study) connected a 7-point standard crossed 2 clip points: 1. ‘T1’ Immediately pursuing an involution explicitly designed to scientifically debunk nan 2 astir prevalent meat-associated myths (“Meat is simply a basal portion of a patient diet” and “Meat is arsenic harmful to nan situation arsenic plant-based foods (e.g. tofu)”; and 2. ‘T2’ 2 weeks later, but without reexposure to corrected information.

Study findings

Descriptive statistics, bivariate Pearson's correlations, and 4 independent (time-point-specific) analyses of variance (ANOVAs) revealed that while nan truth sandwich attack initially proved highly effective astatine correcting participants’ perceptions of meat-based myths without causing nan backfire effect, this effect did not persist for 2 weeks.

At T1, participants who publication nan matter debunking nan wellness story showed a important driblet successful their statement pinch it compared to nan power group (mean statement people of 3.49 vs. 4.62, p < .001; a medium-to-large effect size). Similarly, nan biology truth sandwich successfully reduced statement pinch nan biology story (mean people of 3.17 vs. 3.62, p = .033; a mini to mean effect size).

However, by clip T2 (two weeks later), nan differences betwixt nan lawsuit and power groups had vanished entirely. The belief successful nan myths among nan involution groups had "regressed," returning to levels statistically indistinguishable from nan power group.

Furthermore, an information of participants’ "trust successful science" revealed that while group pinch higher spot successful subject scores were little apt to judge nan myths astatine nan study's initiation, this level of spot had nary effect connected nan effectiveness of nan truth sandwich approach. The method worked conscionable arsenic good for subject skeptics arsenic it did for believers, but nan effect faded for everyone.

Interestingly, participants rated nan neutral power matter (general dietary guidance from nan German Nutrition Society) arsenic much trustworthy and persuasive than nan truth sandwich texts, apt because it contained familiar, common-sense recommendations.

Conclusions

The coming study validates nan truth sandwich attack arsenic a potent, albeit incomplete format for correcting circumstantial myths astir nutrient consumption. While nan method tin instantly correct individuals’ perspectives astir a technological fallacy without triggering nan backfire effect, a one-off correction is insufficient to create lasting change.

Health organizations, dietitians, and subject communicators whitethorn beryllium capable to leverage nan truth sandwich attack for nationalist messaging, but should guarantee that accusation is delivered done trusted channels and repeated astatine cardinal determination points (e.g., earlier nutrient choices) to execute longer-term impact.

Data availability

Data and study codes of nan prestudy and nan main study are disposable connected nan Open Science Framework (OSF): https://osf.io/7ts3n/