Question 1

Mia is a participant in a human intervention study designed to test the effectiveness of losing weight by eating a diet that contains 25% of one's required kcalories from fat Because she is in this study, Mia has decided to increase the amount of exercise she gets and to reduce the amount of beer she drinks Mia's behavior is an example of _____

Accepted Answer

Mia's behavior is an example of the Hawthorne effect, which refers to the phenomenon where participants in a study modify their behavior simply because they are being observed or studied. Mia's knowledge that she is a part of a weight loss study may have motivated her to make healthier choices and exercise more, resulting in a potential bias in the study's results.

Question 2

You are involved in a study observing the eating and health behaviors of African Americans across the United States You are conducting a(n):

Accepted Answer

An epidemiologic study involves observing and analyzing patterns of health and illness in a population. In this case, the study of eating and health behaviors of African Americans across the US falls under the category of epidemiologic study.

Question 3

The Framingham Study investigated the relationship between lifestyle factors and which other variable?

Accepted Answer

The Framingham Study investigated the relationship between lifestyle factors and heart health.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a positive correlation?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a positive correlation because as one variable (length of exercise) increases, the other variable (amount of water needed) also increases.

Question 5

Researchers should not recommend that all children eat less to decrease their risk for obesity because the link between energy intake and risk of childhood obesity is _____

Accepted Answer

The link between energy intake and risk of childhood obesity is not a simple relationship as it is influenced by various factors such as age, genetics, physical activity levels, and metabolism. Therefore, recommending that all children eat less to decrease their risk for obesity may not be effective or appropriate for every child. It is important for researchers to consider these factors and to provide individualized recommendations.

Question 6

One of the limitations of epidemiologic studies is that the results cannot be interpreted as proving a(n) _____

Accepted Answer

Epidemiologic studies can only show an association between two variables, but they cannot prove that the association is causal. Other factors may be responsible for the observed relationship. Further studies, such as experimental studies, are needed to establish causality.

Question 7

While you are studying the impact of increasing soy intake on bone health, some of your subjects decide on their own to begin to consume more cow's milk because of their participation in the study This phenomenon is the _____effect

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorn effect refers to the phenomenon of people changing their behavior simply because they know they are being observed or studied. In this case, the subjects' decision to consume more cow's milk is likely a result of their knowledge that they are participating in a bone health study. The placebo effect refers to a perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition or symptom as a result of receiving a fake treatment or intervention. The intervention and random effects are not relevant to this scenario.

Question 8

Maria has been asked to be a subject in a study to determine if additional vitamin A will promote the growth of healthy, strong fingernails Since she wants the study to be as close to the "ideal" nutrition intervention study as possible, she will want to be sure that:

Accepted Answer

Maria wants to ensure that the study is as close to an ideal nutrition intervention study as possible, which would involve a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. This means that participants would be randomly assigned to either receive the actual vitamin A or a placebo (something that looks like the treatment but doesn't actually contain the active ingredient). Additionally, neither the researcher nor the participants should know who is receiving the treatment or the placebo to avoid bias in the results. Therefore, choice D is the best option as it describes a double-blind, placebo-controlled design.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of an environmental factor that influences health?

Accepted Answer

Exposure to pesticides is an environmental factor that can have negative effects on health. Pesticides can contaminate food and water sources and can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, leading to issues such as cancer, neurological disorders, and reproductive health problems. Consuming a varied diet and exercising moderately can have positive effects on health but are influenced by lifestyle factors rather than environmental factors. Ethnicity is a factor that can affect health outcomes but is not considered an environmental factor.

Question 10

The type of study that includes scientists making observations and recording information without actually asking the subjects to change their behaviors or undergo any sort of treatment is called a(n) _____ study

Accepted Answer

The type of study that includes scientists making observations and recording information without actually asking the subjects to change their behaviors or undergo any sort of treatment is called an epidemiologic study. Epidemiologic studies are observational and do not involve any manipulation of the variables being studied. Choices A and B involve some sort of intervention or treatment, while choice C does not accurately describe this type of study.

Question 11

NHANES simultaneously monitors nutrition and _____ in the US

Accepted Answer

NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) is a program that monitors the health and nutritional status of the population in the United States. It collects information on a wide range of health topics, including diet, physical activity, and chronic disease. Therefore, A is the best choice because it reflects the main objective of NHANES. B, C, and D are not accurate because NHANES does not focus on only these specific areas of health and nutrition.

Question 12

Since we know that if someone takes in more kcalories than they use they will gain weight, this is considered to be an example of a _____

Accepted Answer

This relationship is a cause-and-effect relationship because one variable (taking in more kcalories) directly causes a change in the other variable (weight gain).

Question 13

Suppose a human intervention study provides evidence that when adults consume 5 servings of fruits and vegetables their blood lipid levels are positively impacted The most appropriate conclusion the researchers could make would be that this relationship between diet and blood lipids:

Accepted Answer

The evidence from the human intervention study provides a statistical relationship between consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables and positive impacts on blood lipid levels. This conclusion can be generalized to the larger population of adults as well. However, it may not necessarily apply to children or to adults in different settings or with different health conditions. Additionally, while the study showed a positive relationship, it did not establish causation, so we cannot conclude that consuming more fruits and vegetables causes a proportional decrease in blood lipid levels.

Question 14

When a hypothesis suggests a causal relationship, what type of study will the scientist most likely conduct?

Accepted Answer

An intervention study is designed to test the effectiveness of an intervention or treatment on a particular outcome. If a hypothesis suggests a causal relationship, the scientist would most likely conduct an intervention study to manipulate the variable of interest and observe its effect on the outcome. This allows the researcher to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the independent and dependent variable.

Question 15

The nutrition researchers at Excellent State U conducted an epidemiologic study of the students' consumption of snacks from campus vending machines They found that most first-year students purchased snacks from the vending machines and that the average weight gain for first-year students was 15-25 pounds during the year Which of the following is an appropriate conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The study found an association between purchasing snacks from vending machines and weight gain, but it does not establish causation. Therefore, option A and C are not appropriate conclusions. Option D is too broad, as it includes all college students, while the study only looked at first-year students. Option B is the most appropriate conclusion as it acknowledges the association found in the study but does not make any strong claims about causation.

Question 16

If you wanted to determine the relationships among age, gender, activity level, alcohol consumption, and body weight among the students attending the universities in your state, an _____ study would be appropriate

Accepted Answer

An epidemiologic study would be appropriate for determining the relationships among age, gender, activity level, alcohol consumption, and body weight among the students attending the universities in your state. This type of study is used to investigate the distribution and determinants of health and disease within a population. It would allow researchers to analyze data from a large sample of students and identify patterns and associations among the variables of interest.

Question 17

Before a hypothesis becomes a scientific finding, what has to occur?

Accepted Answer

Before a hypothesis becomes a scientific finding, experimentation, data collection, and interpretation of data must occur to gather evidence and support the hypothesis. These steps are necessary in order to draw valid and reliable conclusions from the data collected.

Question 18

Professor Eatwell plans to study the effect of zinc supplements on young adults' susceptibility to the cold virus She will give some of the young adults zinc supplements while the _____ group will get supplements that do not contain zinc

Accepted Answer

The control group is the group that does not receive the treatment being tested, which in this case is zinc supplements. The experimental group is the group that does receive the treatment, so it is not the correct answer. Investigation and research do not accurately describe the group that is not receiving zinc supplements.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is an example of a "simple relationship"?

Accepted Answer

The statement "Consuming inadequate vitamin C results in a deficiency" is a simple relationship because it clearly states that a lack of vitamin C leads to a deficiency. The other statements are more complex, involving multiple factors and potential outcomes.

Question 20

What is the large, ongoing epidemiologic study to simultaneously monitor nutrition and health in the US population called?

Accepted Answer

The large, ongoing epidemiologic study to simultaneously monitor nutrition and health in the US population is called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). It has been conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the early 1960s.

Quiz 1: The Science of Nutrition

You are involved in a study observing the eating and health behaviors of African Americans across the United States You are conducting a(n) :