Three best practices on reporting on research were violated in this story:
This is the kind of science story that helps science and journalism fall out of favor with the public. These chocolate and Valentine’s Day stories are predictable on the calendar – and predictable in content and delivery. If the science behind it were more fully explained, it would be sweet. This wasn’t.
The cost of chocolate is not in question.
Used only relative risk reduction, not absolute. We have a primer on this as well. So when it talked about 22% lower stroke rate or a 46% lower stroke death rate, we’re not told 22% of what? Or 46% of what?
Later there’s mention of chocolate helping to reduce blood pressure or increase blood flow but no data are provided.
The story did discuss the possible harms of higher LDL cholesterol "or perhaps higher incidence of cardiovascular disease" from chocolate. But it didn’t provide any evidence. Nonethless we’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
This story swings wildly back and forth, saying dark chocolate may lower stroke risk but then saying the findings aren’t conclusive. It said that the findings don’t prove that chocolate is good for your heart (heart? The headline and lede said this was about stroke!). And then it confusingly dropped in the researcher’s quote, "I’d definitely go with the dark chocolate" over white or mik chocolate. For what? Taste? Or for benefit? And if so based on what data?
What the story didn’t explain is why using any language about lowering stroke risk is inappropriate, since such an observational study can’t prove cause-and-effect. We’ve just added a new guide for journalists about why the language of association versus causation is so important.
The story didn’t tell us anything about stroke, so it couldn’t commit disease-mongering.
A dietitian and a nutrition researcher – both apparently unaffiliated with the research – were quoted.
No explanation was given for the researcher’s recommendation of dark chocolate over milk or white chocolate, and no reasons were given for why "dark chocolate in particular" – as the story states – may have health benefits.
The availability of chocolate is not in question.
The story explained this study was a review of existing studies.
Since several sources were quoted, it does not appear that the story relied solely on a news release.
Systematic, Criteria-Driven
The tale of two “negative” studies. Or, how spin is applied to make research findings look more impressive. A must read. https://johnmandrola.substack.com/p/the-tale-of-two-negative-studies
The @nytimes chose to interview one of the editors of the @AnnalsofIM (publisher of this paper) who "gushed with extraordinary glee: It’s huge! There are very few things that reduce your mortality by 30%."
Turns out coffee is not one of those few things despite all that glee. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1533202075928215558
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