The internet is rife with dodgy health advice. Here's how to spot it

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has again recommended people not to take health advice from celebrity chef Pete Evans.

The AMA's Twitter rebuke was sparked by a recent Instagram post from Evans, in which he told his 197,000 followers that "a brief gaze into the radiant light of the early rising or late setting sun" is one of "the best forms of free medicine".

In a follow-up post, Evans reaffirmed that he meant people should "admire sunsets or sunrises", and only "glance" at it — not stare directly into the sun at any time of day — and took a swipe at the AMA's dwindling membership numbers.

But it's not surprising health experts are wary of Evans, dubbed "Paleo Pete" after his fondness for the fad diet of the same name. Who could forget his baby bone broth recipe deemed to be risky for babies, or his recommendation not to use "chemical" sunscreen, or his health documentary that was debunked on multiple fronts?

Experts say that on social media and other parts of the internet, it's not difficult for people with no formal health qualifications to spread misinformation.

"At best [their advice] is going to be worthless or harmless, and at worst it could be quite dangerous," said Dr Ric Gordon on Today.

Dr Joanna McMillan, a dietitian and frequent contributor to Coach, added that it's "very frustrating" that she and her colleagues spend years studying science and honing their knowledge — only to be trumped by bloggers who claim they've discovered obscure secrets to good health.

McMillan lamented that when she gives public talks, she's continually correcting the same misinformation and busting "silly myths".

"They're always about ... coconut oil, for example. I'm always being asked about the different dietary trends, like paleo," McMillan said. "People get worried about dairy foods, grains, gluten."

She offered some straightforward advice to check the validity of health claims.

First assess the qualifications of anyone giving health advice, and investigate the science underpinning the claims they're making — are they based on a rigorous body of evidence, or on "theory and opinions"?

"If [a health claim] seems too good to be true, it probably is," Gordon concluded.