In October 2020, a study by the Digital New Deal found the number of interactions with false content on Facebook had spiked 242% since 2016.

But social media isn't the only place where news gets skewed so innocent bystanders get skewered.

A recent study declared "high doses of saccharin don't lead to diabetes in healthy adults." That's misleading in several ways:

• Many people with serious health issues consider themselves healthy. For example, while 60% of seniors have one or more chronic medical condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, 82% of them rate their health as excellent, very good, or good. They may mistakenly think this study's findings apply to them. 

• In this country, few people meet the "healthy adults" standards that the researchers used: a body mass index of around 22, HDL cholesterol in the upper 50s, and a glucose reading in the upper 80s or low 90s. Instead, 74% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, more than 100 million have diabetes or prediabetes (elevated glucose levels), and around 45 million don't meet the HDL target.

• Other studies have found that artificial sweeteners may tip the balance into diabetes — especially if using them makes you think you can eat more ultra-processed foods than before.

The smart choice is to enjoy sweet flavors from whole fruits and 70% cacao chocolate (1 ounce a day).

You want to retrain your taste buds to love the food that loves you back — not trick them with fake flavors and nutrition-empty calories.