Ch. 2 Evaluating Nutrition Information

True or False: Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard of research

True

True or False: In vitro studies are performed on animals and in vivo studies are performed in a test tube

False

True or False: Industry funding should always be avoided in nutrition research

false

True or False: The FDA regulates nutrition information in books and other forms of popular media

false

True or False: Pseudoscience is the presentation of nonscientific information as fact

true

anecdotes

reports of personal experiences

experiment

systemic way of testing a hypothesis to determine validity

In vitro

studies performed in a test tube.

In vivo

studies performed on animals. applies the results of animal studies to humans

epidemiology

study of occurrence, distribution, and factors that contribute to health conditions in populations

case-control study

one person with a disease/case is matched with a healthy person with similar characteristics to identify what might make someone of the same characteristics more likely to obtain the disease

cohort studies

collect and analyze various kinds of data about a large group over time

retrospective cohort study

collect information about a groups past exposures and identify current health outcomes

prospective cohort study

group of initially healthy people followed over a period of time from beginning to end of study and collect data

randomized controlled groups

the gold standard of human research

pragmatic trials

address some of the shortcomings of randomized controlled groups

Observational studies narrowed down to _____, _____, splits into _____ and _____

epidemiology; cohort; retrospective; prospective

Distinguish between control and treatment groups

the control group receives no treatment and they remain unchanged to see how the treatment put on the treatment group, has effected them.

Advantages and disadvantages of human observational studies

Use people for direct examination and results. May result in some correlation between variables

Why are randomized controlled trials considered gold standard?

There are multiple groups of human subjects and the interventions and associated factors are controlled

What is a pragmatic trial?

study interventions in less controlled, real-world environments and situations

Pseudoscience

presentation of misleading or false information as factual and scientific

What are some unreliable red flags for research?

promises of quick and easy remedies, claims that are too good, scare tactics, testimonials, attacks on scientists and experts, promotion of benefits but dismissing risks, vauge and meaningless, vague sources, pseudoscience, disclaimers,

What are some secure and accurate green flags of reseach?

compare info on multiple sites, sites managed by qualified health professionals, look for the health on the net symbol, avoid sites providing diagnosis and treatments

Difference between a testimonial and anecdote.

testimonial is a personal endorsement of a product and anecdote is a report of personal experiences

Intervention studies

does determine causation

randomization allows you to assume all differences between two groups are equal EXCEPT the one variable you’re manipulating

Is there any kind of study that you can determine causation? if so, what is it?

randomized control trial

if there is an association, what study is it?

epidemiology