Why are we so celebrity obsessed? It seems like the majority of people are far more likely to listen to celebrities, especially actors and singers, than to educated professionals.

I was at the gym last week and there was a news channel on one of the televisions in front of me. They had a segment on in which a young actress was extolling the virtues of her “cruelty free” diet. Essentially a vegan diet as far as I could tell. The newscaster was saying what a great diet it must be because she’s so slim. Really? Yes, a primarily plant-based diet is a healthy diet. However, this actress likely had no education in nutrition or health. Being skinny doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s healthy. Nor does it mean that she is a good person from whom to take dietary advice.

It’s unfortunate that we place so much weight on the opinions of a small group of beautiful elite. Yes, they’re entitled to their opinions. Yes, they may even know what they’re talking about. However, they very well may not know what they’re talking about. Everyone has an opinion on food. Eating does not make a person a nutrition expert.