| In their desire to make sense out of health | | | | significant results eventually prove to be wrong. |
| information, people often oversimplify the truth. For | | | | Consequently it takes hundreds of studies, many of |
| example, potato chips have long been reputed as a | | | | them conflicting, to create a consensus on a |
| junk food. Actually the quick cooking process of | | | | particular health issue. Any health claim worth |
| potato chips preserves its nutrients better than | | | | considering should be based on numerous studies or |
| mashed, boiled, or baked potatoes. Ounce per ounce, | | | | experiments conducted over many years. |
| potato chips provide more nutrients than other forms | | | | Health information must also pass scientifically |
| of potatoes. However, because potato chips are | | | | controlled, double-blind studies. The classic study |
| cooked in oil, they are high in fat and calories and are | | | | includes at least two groups in which one is an |
| not recommended for people trying to lose weight. | | | | experimental group and receives some form of |
| By being aware that the truth is not simple for most | | | | experimental treatment and the other is a control |
| health issues, the tendency to oversimplify and over | | | | group and receives no treatment. The double-blind |
| generalize health information can be thwarted. | | | | feature of a study means that neither the researcher |
| Health Discoveries Take Time | | | | nor the subjects know who is receiving an |
| Health discoveries often mean media headlines, but a | | | | experimental treatment. If a researcher wanted to |
| cardinal rule of science is that findings must be | | | | prove, for example, that a particular brand of soap |
| replicable. Health information based on a dramatic | | | | prevents athlete's foot, two groups would be |
| discovery is not usually valid unless it is confirmed in | | | | needed. One would use the experimental soap, and |
| several follow-up studies or experiments. | | | | the other would use a placebo or soap substitute. |
| Criteria of Valid Reliable Health Information | | | | Researchers administering the soap treatment would |
| Health information should be valid and reliable and | | | | not know which soap they were using, nor would the |
| based on scientifically controlled studies. In health | | | | subjects in the experimental and control groups. |
| research, validity means truthfulness. If a study is | | | | Therefore if the experimental group has significantly |
| designed and conducted properly, its findings are | | | | fewer cases of athlete's foot, the results can be |
| likely to be valid. For example, it was found that | | | | attributed to the treatment. |
| adding vitamin E to human cells in the laboratory | | | | The experimental-control, double-blind requirement of |
| stimulated cell division and growth. This was used to | | | | scientific research is a difficult standard to pass. |
| support the erroneous conclusion that vitamin E | | | | When evaluating new health claims, consumers should |
| would delay the aging process. This was not a proper | | | | inquire about the nature and design of the study |
| generalization because a simple laboratory experiment | | | | behind the claims. |
| is not a valid procedure for demonstrating something | | | | A final consideration of a scientifically controlled study |
| as complex as aging. | | | | is characteristics of the study population. Scientific |
| Reliability is another key criterion for evaluating health | | | | studies require random sampling of subjects that |
| information and refers to the extent that health | | | | represent the racial, religious, gender, and cultural |
| claims can be consistently verified. If a claim is reliable, | | | | characteristics of the population at large. Medical |
| it can be demonstrated to occur consistently in study | | | | breakthroughs should not be based on a small |
| after study. Researchers speak of findings as | | | | number of homogenous, or similar, subjects. Broadly |
| statistically significant when they are considered | | | | designed human clinical trials that are randomized, |
| reliable. Statistical significance means that the | | | | placebo controlled, and double blind offer the |
| probability that a study's findings are due to chance | | | | strongest proof of reliable information. Remember, |
| alone is less than 5%. That is, 95 out of 100 times | | | | true breakthroughs in medical research are the |
| similarly designed studies would yield similar results. | | | | exception rather than the rule. Be skeptical of |
| Because thousands of studies are performed, | | | | headlines to the contrary. |
| however, some studies that yield statistically | | | | |