The Claim

Among adults aged 65 and older, higher health literacy is statistically significantly associated with more negative attitudes toward herbal product advertisements making health claims, independent of purchase intent.

Source: Interdisciplinary Examination of the Communication Effect of Herbal Product Advertisements Targeting Health Problems in Older Adults: The Role of Advertising and Health Literacy

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
40score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Correlation
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Adults aged 65 and older with better understanding of health information tend to have more negative attitudes toward herbal product ads that make health claims, even when their desire to buy the products does not change.

See the scientific wording

Among adults aged 65 and older, higher health literacy is associated with more negative attitudes toward herbal product advertisements making health claims, with a statistically significant correlation (p = 0.004), suggesting that better understanding of health information may increase skepticism toward misleading marketing, even when purchase intent remains unchanged.

Why this might work

When a person understands health information better, their brain processes advertising claims more critically, activating areas that detect inconsistencies and false promises, which leads to a stronger negative reaction to misleading ads — even if they still intend to buy the product.

Suggested mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Interdisciplinary Examination of the Communication Effect of Herbal Product Advertisements Targeting Health Problems in Older Adults: The Role of Advertising and Health Literacy

    Older adults who understand health information better are more likely to think herbal ads are misleading, but they still might buy the products anyway — and this study proves it.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health claims into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.