Question 1

A nutrition researcher would like to determine whether women who take fish oil supplements during pregnancy give birth to babies who score higher on basic intelligence tests when they are 5 years of age than the 5-year old children that were born to women who did not take the fish oil supplements during pregnancy.This kind of research is a _____ study.

Accepted Answer

A prospective study is one that follows a group of individuals over time to investigate the potential relationship between an exposure (in this case, taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy) and an outcome (higher intelligence scores in children at 5 years of age). This type of study would be appropriate for investigating this research question. In-vivo studies typically refer to experiments conducted in living organisms, double-blind studies refer to a study design where neither the researchers nor the participants know which group they belong to in terms of treatment or control, and case-control studies are a type of observational study that compares individuals with a particular outcome (cases) to those without the outcome (controls). These study designs would not be appropriate for investigating the research question posed in this scenario.

Question 2

Emily has brittle fingernails that crack and split easily.Emily's mother advises her daughter to take gelatin pills 3 times/day,because she has heard the practice strengthens fingernails.The mother's nutrition-related advice about the benefit of taking gelatin pills is an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

An anecdote is a personal story or account, often based on personal experience or hearsay, rather than scientific evidence.

Question 3

Derek takes protein supplements before and after his workouts.He told his workout partner that he became 200% stronger within a couple of months after he added the supplements to his diet.His report about the effects of the supplements is an example of a(an)

Accepted Answer

Derek's report about the effects of the supplements is an anecdote, which is a personal story or observation. It does not provide any scientific evidence to support his claim and may not be representative of the experience of others. Anecdotes should not be used to make generalizations or guide important decisions.

Question 4

Generally,epidemiological studies

Accepted Answer

Epidemiological studies cannot determine cause-and-effect relationships as they do not involve experimental manipulation of variables. They can only establish correlations between variables.

Question 5

Phil is a participant in a study designed to examine the effects of taking a dietary supplement on muscle tissue development.Phil suspects he is in the experimental group,because he is certain his muscles are bigger and stronger as a result of taking the product supplied by the researchers.When the study is completed,Phil learns that he did not receive the dietary supplement.Phil thinks the researchers made a mistake-he is certain his muscle mass increased while he took the supplement.According to this information,Phil's belief that his physical condition improved while he participated in the study is an example of

Accepted Answer

Phil's belief that he experienced an improvement in his physical condition is a classic example of the placebo effect, which occurs when a participant believes they are receiving a beneficial treatment and experiences an improvement in their symptoms, even if they are receiving a placebo or a treatment that has no active ingredients. In this case, Phil's belief that he was receiving the dietary supplement led him to perceive an improvement in his muscle development, even though he was not actually receiving the supplement.

Question 6

Zack takes 500 mg of vitamin C daily.He advises his friends to take vitamin C supplements because,he claims,the vitamin protects him from cold viruses.His claim about the usefulness of the vitamin is an

Accepted Answer

Zack's claim about vitamin C protecting him from cold viruses is based on personal experience, which is an anecdote. Anecdotes are not reliable sources of information as they are based on individual experiences and may not apply to everyone. It is important to rely on scientific evidence when making health-related decisions.

Question 7

Which of the following kinds of studies would be the best to use to identify lifestyle factors that may be related to the development of liver cancer in an adult population?

Accepted Answer

A retrospective study looks back at data that has already been collected and analyzes it for potential relationships or patterns. In the case of identifying lifestyle factors related to the development of liver cancer, researchers could gather data from medical records and self-reported lifestyle choices of people who have been diagnosed with liver cancer and compare it to a control group without liver cancer. This type of study design would be the best approach as it would allow researchers to identify possible lifestyle factors that may have contributed to the development of liver cancer in the adult population. Double-blind and single-blind studies are typically used in clinical trials where the participants are randomly assigned to different treatment groups, and neither the participants nor the researchers know which group they have been assigned. In an experimental study, researchers manipulate one or more variables to see their effect on the outcome, which may not be practical or ethical for studying lifestyle factors that could increase the risk of liver cancer.

Question 8

Which of the following kinds of studies would be the best to use when designing a scientific investigation to determine whether there is an association between consuming diets high in sodium during adolescence and developing high blood pressure in adulthood?

Accepted Answer

An observational study would be the best choice to investigate the association between consuming diets high in sodium during adolescence and developing high blood pressure in adulthood. This type of study involves observing and recording data on individuals without manipulating any variables. It allows researchers to collect data on the potential risk factor (sodium intake) and the outcome (high blood pressure) over a long period of time, which is important for determining causality. An experimental study, on the other hand, involves manipulating the independent variable (sodium intake) and may not be ethical or feasible in this case. Double-blind and single-blind studies are experimental designs that involve blinding participants or investigators to the intervention, but they do not apply to observational studies.

Question 9

Scientists enroll 500 healthy adults in a study and collect dietary and other lifestyle information about the group.After 6 years,the scientists determine that study participants who ate at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily were less likely to develop high blood pressure than participants who ate fewer than 5 servings of these foods daily.This study is an example of a(n)____ study.

Accepted Answer

This is a prospective study because the scientists enrolled healthy adults at the beginning of the study and followed them over a period of 6 years to observe the development of high blood pressure in relation to their dietary and lifestyle habits.

Question 10

Which of the following kinds of studies would be the best to use when investigating whether cigarette smoking influences weight gain?

Accepted Answer

A cohort study would be the best choice to investigate whether cigarette smoking influences weight gain since it allows for the comparison of groups with and without exposure to the risk factor (in this case, cigarette smoking) over a period of time to observe the development of the outcome (in this case, weight gain). This can help determine whether there is a causal relationship between cigarette smoking and weight gain. Conventional studies may not provide enough information on the temporal relationship between smoking and weight gain, while double-blind and single-blind studies are not relevant for this type of investigation.

Question 11

A scientist adds 5 mcg of the mineral cadmium to the daily diet of 100 4-week-old laboratory mice.After twelve weeks,the researcher weighs and takes blood samples from each mouse.According to her findings,the mice lost weight during the 12-week period and they have abnormal levels of certain hormones in their blood.Based on this information and your knowledge of scientific research,what would you tell the researcher about her findings?

Accepted Answer

The researcher added only one type of mineral (cadmium) to the diet of the mice, which means that there was no control group or comparison group. Without a control group, it is impossible to know if the effects observed were due to the cadmium, or some other factor. Additionally, the fact that the mice lost weight and had abnormal hormone levels could be indicative of health problems that were not related to the cadmium intake. Therefore, the findings are not meaningful or valid due to the way the study was designed.

Question 12

A nutrition researcher adds 30 mg of the mineral iron to the daily diet of 50 4-week-old laboratory mice.After ten weeks,the scientist takes blood samples from each mouse.According to his findings,the mice developed abnormal levels of certain enzymes in their red blood cells.Based on this information and your knowledge of scientific research,what would you tell him?

Accepted Answer

A control group is necessary to determine if the changes in enzyme levels are due to the added iron or other factors.

Question 13

A group of nutrition researchers interviews 100 adults who have chronic high blood pressure to determine whether there is an association between consuming diets low in calcium during adolescence and developing high blood pressure in adulthood.This study is an example of a ____ study.

Accepted Answer

This study is retrospective because it looks back at past dietary habits (low calcium intake during adolescence) to find an association with a current condition (high blood pressure in adulthood).

Question 14

Having a control group enables researchers to

Accepted Answer

Having a control group allows researchers to compare their findings with a group that has not received the intervention being studied, which helps in determining whether any results observed in the experimental group were due to the intervention or other factors.

Question 15

Scientists who investigate lifestyle factors that influence the prevalence of obesity among different population groups are conducting a(n)____ study.

Accepted Answer

Epidemiological studies investigate the distribution and determinants of health and diseases in populations. In this case, scientists are investigating lifestyle factors that influence the prevalence of obesity among different population groups, which falls under the domain of epidemiology. Technological, in-vitro, and pathological studies are not relevant to investigating lifestyle factors and obesity in different population groups.

Question 16

Dylan takes garlic pills to lower his blood cholesterol level,and he recommends the pills to his friends,because he thinks the supplement is helpful.Dylan's nutrition-related advice to his friends is an example of a(an)

Accepted Answer

Dylan's advice is based on his personal experience, which is an anecdote, rather than scientific evidence or research.

Question 17

Scientists would like to conduct a study to identify lifestyle factors that are associated with delayed physical growth among a group of low-income American children.Which of the following research designs would be the best for the researchers to use when designing their study?

Accepted Answer

The best research design for this study is epidemiological since it focuses on identifying patterns and associations within populations. This design will allow researchers to study a large number of low-income American children and their lifestyle factors without manipulating any variables, while also enabling them to make inferences about causal relationships between lifestyle factors and delayed physical growth. Double-blind, interventional, and human in-vivo experimental designs all involve manipulating variables, which is not suitable for this type of study.

Question 18

Scientists in a Central American country are studying factors that may be associated with delayed physical growth among a group of low-income children.The children live in a region of the nation that has high levels of lead in drinking water.This study is an example of a(an)____ study.

Accepted Answer

This study focuses on the relationship between exposure to lead in drinking water and delayed physical growth, which falls under the purview of epidemiological research. Epidemiology is the study of patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in a population. Introspective, conventional, and uncontrollable studies are not applicable in this scenario.

Question 19

Over a 2-year period,a team of scientists records the eating behaviors and physical activity patterns of a group of healthy 8-year-old children to determine whether these factors are associated with weight gain.This study is an example of a(n)____ study.

Accepted Answer

A prospective study follows a group of individuals over time to observe and measure the development of a particular health outcome. In this case, the scientists are observing the eating behaviors and physical activity patterns of a group of children over a 2-year period to determine if these factors are associated with weight gain.

Question 20

A group of scientists would like to determine lifestyle factors that are associated with the development of asthma among American children.Based on this information,the researchers should design a (an)_____ study.

Accepted Answer

An epidemiological study is a type of observational study that looks at the frequency and distribution of diseases in different populations. It is widely used to investigate the causes and risk factors of diseases, including asthma. The scientists in this scenario want to investigate the lifestyle factors associated with the development of asthma in American children, which requires an epidemiological study. In-vivo studies involve working with living organisms, double-blind studies are often used in clinical trials to eliminate bias, and conventional studies could refer to any type of study that follows standard methods and protocols.

Quiz 2: Evaluating Nutrition Information