NUTR150_W02_StudyGuide
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Brigham Young University, Idaho *
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Course
150
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Health Science
Date
Feb 20, 2024
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docx
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The activities listed in this Study Guide will help guide you through the Week 02 Study materials. The preparation and activities need to be completed prior to the first deadline and before taking the weekly quiz. The reading materials, videos, and website links are posted in I-Learn, W02 Study. Preparing for quizzes and tests:
Please note that the study guides are provided to establish a baseline understanding of the lesson materials. They can help you to organize your notes and prepare for quizzes and tests. You will find that the quizzes and tests do not have questions that come directly from the study guides but will build on the concepts you are learning. These assessments will require you to take the knowledge and skills you have gained and apply them to real life problems and situations.
To increase your proficiency:
o
Try teaching someone a few of the principles you learned this week, such as the scientific method and the different types of research used in nutrition science. This week’s goals:
Nutrition claims can be found on the Internet, in infomercials and magazines. Many times the claims appear too good to be true. Nutrition is a study of how food interacts with the body and nutrition facts are based on the evidence established through scientific research. This week we will explore how the scientific method is used in nutrition research and learn the process to evaluate nutrition claims.
1. Explain the basics of the scientific method
From the reading 2.1 The Science of Nutrition:
From Figure 1 The Scientific Method, complete the following steps of the scientific method.
Observe and Ask Questions
Hypothesis
Conduct Experiments
Draw Conclusions
Determine if Hypothesis is supported or not supported
Report result
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory? A hypothesis is a proposed solution to the question or
problem. A theory is an explanation for an observed
phenomenon
Describe epidemiology investigates the frequency, distribution, and patterns of health events in a population.
What is the definition of observational research? Characteristics of a group are observed and measured highlighting the relationship or correlation between variables; however, there is no intervention to influence the outcome. Ex: epidemiology
How does experimental research differ from observational research? Variables are altered between at least two groups of people to determine causal (cause and effect)
relationships.
Why are laboratory experiments conducted on animals and cells often used in nutrition research? What are the concerns with animal and cell studies? An advantage of this type of study is that they typically do not cost as much as human studies and they
require less time to conduct. Other advantages are that researchers have more control over the environment and the amount of confounding variables can be significantly reduced. Moreover, animal and cell studies provide a way
to study relationships at the molecular level and are also helpful in determining the exact mechanism by which a specific nutrient causes a change in health. The disadvantage of these types of studies are that researchers are not working with humans or at least not the whole human, such as in cell studies, and thus the results may not be relevant. Nevertheless, well-conducted animal and cell studies that can be repeated by
multiple researchers and obtain the same conclusion are definitely helpful in building the evidence to support a scientific hypothesis.
From the video Matters of Life and Death
about Joseph Goldberger and pellagra:
What observations did Joseph Goldberger initially make regarding pellagra? Poor people working in cotton fields and textile mills, prevalent in orphanages and prisons, poor diets; corn bread, fat back/pork, and syrup.
After making these observations, what was Joseph Goldberger’s hypothesis? He thought that it may be a malnutrition related disease
What type of study was used when Joseph Goldberger observed differences in those who had pellagra and those who did not have pellagra? Observational
What type of study was used when Joseph Goldberger changed the dietary intake of the prisoners to corn-based meals? Experimental
Terms to Know
Hypothesis
Theory
Peer-review
Observational research
Epidemiology
Correlation
Cause and Effect
Experimental research
Experimental group
Control group
Placebo
Placebo Effect
Single-blinded
Double-blinded
Randomization
Confounding variables
2. Strength of the Evidence From the video The Danger of Mixing up Causality and Correlation
, and the reading Some thoughts about Causality vs. Association:
Why doesn’t correlation mean causation? Causality can be proven only by
demonstrating a mechanism. Statistics alone can never prove causality, but it can
show you where to look.
From the reading 2.2 Evaluating Strength of the Evidence from Scientific Studies
:
Are the results from laboratory nutrition studies conducted on animals and cells considered strong evidence for human nutrition? Why/Why not? Although human experimental studies are ideal when studying human nutrition, laboratory studies, such as animal or cell experiments, may be used when there are cost, time, and ethical concerns. However, even the best designed animal studies are not as strong as human studies and results may not be applicable to a human population.
Which of the following types of studies can begin to indicate cause and effect for humans? Laboratory studies
☒
Yes ☐
No
Observational studies
☐
Yes ☒
No
Experimental studies
☒
Yes ☐
No
Complete the following table using Figure 3: Evaluating the Strength of the Evidence.
Type of Evidence
Strength of Evidence
Anecdotal, Opinion
Poorly Designed Study
Single Study
Small studies
Weak to Limited
Well-designed Observational or
Epidemiological Studies that have
consistent results
Moderate
Well-designed, Large, Randomized,
Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled
Studies that have consistent results
Strong
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Number of Studies and Consistency of Findings: From the 2.2 Evaluating Strength of Evidence from Scientific Studies
.
What four questions can you ask to help determine the strength of the evidence?
o
1. Is the evidence quantifiable?
o
2. Is it the correct population?
o
3. Were there proper controls?
o
4. Were the results interpreted accurately?
Are the results from a single study enough to develop a theory? Yes
Why is the consistency of findings an important consideration when determining the strength of
the evidence?
Question to Ponder
: Would you change your dietary intake based on information from one research study? Why/Why not? Quality of the research design: From the reading in section on Experimental Research in 2.1 The Science of Nutrition
Why does a well-designed experimental study require both a control and an experimental group?
Why does a double-blind study minimize the placebo effect?
3. Evaluating Nutrition Information
From the reading 2.3 Using Eyes of Discernment,
and the article Nutrition Misinformation: How to Identify Fraud and Misleading Claims
What are the red flags for nutrition misinformation? Sensational Headlines
What are the ways you can develop discerning eyes when reading or hearing nutritional news? Look for dependable news organizations that seek out independent experts to comment on the findings and explain how they may relate to the public. 2. The scientific study under discussion should be referenced in the report and should be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Question studies that come from less trustworthy sources or those that are not published. 3. The methods
used by the researcher(s) should be disclosed. Did the study last for three or thirty weeks? Were there ten or one hundred participants? What did the participants actually do? Did the researcher(s) observe the results themselves or did they rely on self-reports from program participants? 4. Who
were the subjects of this study? Humans or animals? If human, are any traits/characteristics noted? You may realize you have more in common with certain program participants and can use that as a basis to gauge if the study
applies to you. 5. Remember that one study does not substantiate a fact. One
study neither proves nor disproves anything. Credible reports often
disseminate new findings in the context of previous research. A single study on its own gives you very limited information, but if a body of literature supports a finding, it gives you more confidence in it. 6. Ask yourself, “Does this make sense?” Remember, if a headline professes a new remedy for a nutrition-related topic, it may well be a research-supported piece of news, but
more often than not it is a sensational story designed to catch the attention of an unsuspecting consumer. Track down the original journal article to see if it really supports the conclusions being drawn in the news report.
What types of sources usually provide reliable nutrition information? Nutrition experts, government (.gov), educational institutions (.edu), and organizations (.org).
Question to ponder:
Why is information in advertisements likely exaggerated or inaccurate?
From the video How to File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
, and the reading 2.3 Using
Eyes of Discernment: Federal Trade Commission
:
What is the role of the Federal Trade Commission? The FTC is the United States’ consumer protection agency and can help to prevent fraud and scams. They investigate complaints about false or misleading advertising and provide the information to law enforcement agencies for follow-up. 4. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 – Based on Scientific Evidence
From the reading 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
:
What is the purpose of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025? The aim of the Dietary Guidelines is to promote health and prevent disease
What are the four overall guidelines from the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans? 1. Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage 2. Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations. 3. Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages and stay within calorie limits. 4. Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limit alcoholic beverages.
How often are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans revised? Every 5 years
5. Complete the lesson Case Study
Review and complete the Case Study – Courtney and Chocolate.
Then answer the following questions/items and have your responses available when you take this week’s quiz.
Rank the articles based on the strength of the evidence (1 is the most reliable and 3 is the least reliable evidence). Chocolate, the new SuperFood
, 3
Questions and Answers about the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
, 2
Effect of Cocoa Products on Blood Pressure: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
, 1
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