I found your article, “Healthful lifestyle doesn’t always reduce heart risks” (July 10), misleading. Because Gov. Edgar has a history of coronary heart disease, had he not changed his lifestyle when he did the end result could have been more serious.
That headline is too broad a statement to make, especially based on one case. The special circumstances with respect to the governor’s history of poor eating and exercise habits gets lost in the statement, thereby misleading the public about the benefits of regular exercise and proper nutrition.
As a professional in the field of nutrition, I find such reporting counterproductive to our nation’s attempt to educate the public about preventive health care via proper exercise and nutrition. With all the research that has been done to show the benefits of regular exercise and better nutrition, journalists should feel a duty to give the public valuable information with respect to prevention.
