Reliability should be determined by judging the validity of a group's ideas rather than its funding. The National Dairy Council and the Institute of Food Technologists are highly respected by the scientific community for their accurate publications on nutrition. Some entrepreneurs simply make up names for the purpose of marketing products, such as weight-control pills, sex enhancers, or various dietary supplements. Scams also exist in which donations are solicited for a phony organization with a name similar to that of a well-known genuine charity. Incidentally, neither accreditation nor affiliation with an otherwise reputable university provides any guarantee of reliability.
Several universities have centers or institutes that promote health-related nonsense.
I view the following with considerable distrust. Unless otherwise indicated, they are based in the United States. If you would like to nominate others for this list, please contact us . This page was updated on April 13, 2001.