Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Medical Myths And Moral Panic

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/335/7633/1288
BMJ 2007;335:1288-1289 (22 December),
Mixed messages
Medical myths


Rachel C Vreeman, fellow in children’s health services research1, Aaron E Carroll, assistant professor of paediatrics2
1 Children’s Health Services Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA, 2 Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/dec17_2/a2769

Christmas 2008: Seasonal Fayre
Festive medical myths


BrooklynDodger(s) comment: These are available in full text. Mostly it's just for fun.

But there's a but if a lesson here about framing ideas or myths taking hold without evidence. Two myths among those cited as that sugar causes hyperactivity in children, or eating late causing obesity.These have the aspect of Moral Panic, which promotes believeability. Moral panic is the concept that a deviant or denigrated group is responsible for a bad societal outcome.

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