Chapter 3: Evidence-Based Nutrition And Practice Flashcards
Science
A method of attempting to arrive at objective truths.
Hypothesis
A proposed explanation for a problem or set of observations.
The Scientific Method
The process of formulating explanations about the natural world and testing those explanations with experiments and data.
Evidence-Based Practice
A three-pronged approach to working with clients, which consists of making decisions based on the weight of the scientific evidence, field observations, and individual client needs and preferences.
Prediction
An expected outcome generated from a hypothesis.
True or False? Scientists identify what is most likely to be true by demonstrating what is not true.
True
Theory
A hypothesis or set of hypotheses for which a large body of high-quality evidence has been accumulated.
Anecdote
An account of a person’s experience or event.
Uncontrolled Variable
A variable in an experiment that a scientist makes no effort to manipulate or account for.
Primary Research
Original research where scientists perform experiments and collect data – this is in contrast to secondary research where scientists analyze data that has already been collected or published elsewhere.
Observational Research
Research in which a researcher observes ongoing behaviors to determine correlation.
Correlation
A relationship between two or more variables.
Randomized Control Trial (RCT)
A type of scientific study/trial where participants are randomly assigned into different groups – one or more will be the intervention to be tested and one will be the control group. Groups are randomized and a control is used in an attempt to reduce potential bias in the trial.
Independent Variable
The variable scientists manipulate in an experiment.
External Validity
The ability to generalize the results of a study.
Systematic Review
A review where scientists systematically gather all research on a topic and evaluate it based on predefined criteria and rules.
Meta-Analysis
A statistical analysis of a group of studies to assess the overall weight of the evidence.
True or False? A scientific theory is just a guess.
False
Empirical
Based on observation or experience.
Test-Retest Reliability
The ability to get similar results when something is measured under the same conditions.
Reliability
The consistency of a measure.
Validity
The assessment of whether a tool is measuring what it is supposed to measure.
Selection Bias
A sample of people under study is not representative of the larger population that scientists are looking to make inferences about.
Retrospective
Describes a study that looks backward in time.
Recall Bias
The inability to accurately remember past behaviors.
Peer Review
The critical evaluation of a study by other scientists.
True or False? Scientific evidence is fixed and immutable.
False
True or False? The uncertainty of science is a strength, as nothing is ever 100% certain.
True
Which term describes the phenomena when a group does not represent the population a scientist is intending to study?
Selection bias
Fructose has been shown in studies to have adverse effects on blood triglycerides when consumed in excess of calorie needs. However, moderate doses of fructose have been shown to have no effect. Which of the following items best describes the conclusion that should be drawn from this data?
Fructose intake poses no risk to triglycerides when consumed within energy needs, but caution is warranted if calorie intake is high.
Which term describes how a body of knowledge is based on observation and experience?
Empirical
Scientists perform a study tracking 10,000 people over a 10-year period. They look at their sugar intake at the beginning of the study and then see who develops diabetes over the study duration. Which term best describes this study?
Cohort study
Which term encompasses the weight of the scientific evidence, field observations, and individual client needs?
Evidence-based practice
A scientist hypothesizes that a supplement will increase resistance training performance. A study is carried out, and the results do not support the hypothesis. Multiple studies by independent labs also fail to support the hypothesis. What is the appropriate response regarding the hypothesis?
The predictions have been falsified and the hypothesis is discarded.
Scientists find that a protein supplement increases lean mass in the elderly. However, they caution that the results may not apply to other populations, like younger people. What term best describes what the scientists are referring to?
External validity
Which of the following represents a critical evaluation of a study by other scientists?
Peer Review
A scientist proposes that sugar is inherently fattening, independent of its calorie content. If that proposal is true, then that would mean that high-sugar diets should increase fat gain independent of their calorie content. What term describes this potential consequence?
Prediction
Which observational study design allows scientists to hypothesize a potential causal association?
Cohort study
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) involves collecting health-related information via telephone interview across the United States. Which term best describes this research?
Survey
A scientist observes that people tend to perform better in a weight training session after consuming a pre-workout supplement. The scientist proposes that the caffeine in the supplement is increasing arousal, leading to increased performance. Which term best describes this scientist’s proposal?
Hypothesis
Which item represents a high quality, non-peer reviewed source of information?
Academic textbook
Which term describes a variable in an experiment for which a scientist takes no steps to account for?
Uncontrolled variable
Scientists perform a diet study in which they assign half the people to a continuous dieting group and the other half to an intermittent fasting group. Which term best describes this study design?
Parallel
