American, British, and Italian Online Information on the Health Risks Associated With Eating Meat: Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

The quality of online information regarding the risks associated with meat consumption could play a crucial role in shaping consumers' behavior. This study aimed to investigate the quality of Italian, British, and American websites addressing this topic. A cross-sectional assessment of the top 100 British, Italian, and American web pages on the risks attributable to meat consumption was performed using the JAMA benchmarks tool, evaluating authorship by certified professionals and the inclusion of information on recommended meat consumption, potential meat substitutes, and coverage of issues such as diet sustainability and cancer, cardiovascular, and chronic disease prevention. Websites were then classified according to their stance toward meat consumption (neutral, promoting, or demonizing). American and British websites were classified as high quality in 61% (61/100) and 78.1% (75/96) of cases, respectively, while only 22.3% (21/94) of Italian websites were classified as high quality. Multinomial regression showed that web pages with a demonizing stance toward meat consumption and those authored by certified health professionals were less likely to be Italian than American. Similarly, web pages discussing environmental risks and chronic diseases associated with excessive meat consumption were less likely to be Italian. Compared with American web pages, those promoting meat consumption and those authored by qualified professionals were less likely to be British. Web pages discussing chronic disease risks were also less likely to be British, whereas those mentioning cancer risks were more likely to be British. The widespread prevalence of poor online information quality, especially in certain countries, demands action. Promoting user education in assessing the reliability of websites and involving health professionals in this educational effort may represent viable strategies.