Nutrition Unit 2

A nutrition researcher adds 10 mcg of the mineral copper to the daily diet of 40 four-week-old laboratory mice. After six weeks, the scientist takes blood samples from each mouse. According to his findings, the mice developed abnormal red blood cells. Based on this information and your knowledge of scientific research, what would be the best advice to tell him?

He should repeat the study, but this time, use a scientific design that includes a larger number of mice and control group.

The professional football star Andro "The Man" McGraw appears in television commercials in which he endorses "AminoProFix" for building muscle mass quickly and safely. His support of the product is an example of a (an) ________.

Paid testimonial

Which of the following statements is true? 1. Promoters of nutrition misinformation often take advantage of the general public's mistrust of scientists. 2. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of consumers to be protected from health misinformation. 3. In general, commercial (*.com) Internet websites are reliable sources of scientifically based nutrition information. 4. Testimonials for weight loss supplements are usually based on scientific evidence.

Promoters of nutrition misinformation often take advantage of the general public's mistrust of scientists.

During a television interview, Dr. Ima Quack provides the following statement. "Most Americans suffer from nutritional deficiency diseases and will develop cancer within the next 10 years because they're not taking my megavitamin formula therapy." Dr. Quack's statement is an example of a (an) ________.

Scare tactic

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

anecdote

Articles that appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association are reliable sources of health information because the editors ________.

have other scientists review and react to the content of articles before publishing them

A team of scientists at a university's medical school want to design a scientific study to determine lifestyle factors that contribute to the development of chronic high blood pressure (hypertension) in humans. The design of their study is most likely to include _____.

identifying a large group of healthy young adults who are willing to participate in a population study that lasts 10 years

Which of the following websites is most likely a source of unreliable food or nutrition information?

www.amysnutritionorganization.com/curing_cancer

Which of the following websites is most likely a source of biased and unreliable nutrition information?

www.shedthatunwantedfatfast.com

Which of the following statements is true? 1. A disclaimer on a product's label provides proof that the product is likely to live up to the manufacturer's claims. 2. In the United States, people can include "RDN" after their name, even if they aren't qualified to use the credential. 3. According to scientific research, anecdotes that describe how nutrients benefit health are reliable sources of information. 4. A person who uses a drink that contains vinegar as a cure for patients with lung cancer is practicing quackery.

A person who uses a drink that contains vinegar as a cure for patients with lung cancer is practicing quackery.

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

Anecdote

Which of the following state ments is true? 1.An experimental study doesn't need to have a control group. 2.Before scientists begin their research, they usually develop a question to guide their study. 3. In a single-blind study, both the researchers and the human subjects don't know their group assignments. 4. In the United States, nutrition scientists often conduct studies on humans before doing animal testing.

Before scientists begin their research, they usually develop a question to guide their study.

Mitch recently tried a hair-restoring product that he purchased from an Internet website. The package's label displayed the following claim: "Rubbing a tablespoon of 'NutraTerraMino' on your scalp each day will cure the hair loss associated with the aging process." After a month of using "NutraTerraMino" daily, he stopped because the product made his hair fall out. Based on this information, Mitch should file a complaint with the ________.

Federal Trade Commission

You recently watched an infomercial at an Internet website in which an actor promoted a new weight loss product. The actor stated that you'll lose weight almost instantly by consuming the product, because it contains a secret herbal formula that's both safe and effective. The promoter also said that you can continue to eat all of your usual foods and still lose weight, while taking the herbal formula. You're concerned that people might waste their money on this product. Which agency should you contact to file a complaint about the website?

Federal Trade Commission

The government agency that enforces consumer protection laws by investigating false or misleading health-related claims is the ________.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Mariele purchased a box of cereal that had the following claim on the label: "Eat one bowl of this cereal a day for a month, and your skin with be healthier." Mariele is skeptical about the honesty of the claim. She should report her concern about the claim to the ________.

Food and Drug Administration

You want to conduct a scientific study to investigate whether dietary factors play a major role in the development of excess body fat among school children. Which of the following activities is likely to be the first step of your research efforts?

Making observations of food selections and eating behaviors of school children who have excess body fat as well as school children who have healthy amounts of body fat

Researchers are conducting a study to determine the effects of the mineral zinc on the human body. The study involves providing pills that contain zinc to one group of human subjects and pills that do not contain zinc or other active ingredients to another group of people. The pills that do not contain zinc are ________.

Placebos

Researchers are conducting a study to determine the effects of vitamin D on the human body. The study involves providing pills that contain vitamin D to one group of human subjects and pills that do not contain the vitamin or other active ingredients to another group of people. The pills that do not contain vitamin D are ________.

Placebos

A popular fitness magazine has an article about the health benefits of high-fiber diets. Which of the following credentials indicates that the author is likely to be a reliable source of food and nutrition information?

RDN

Which of the following statements is true? 1. Scientists have peer reviewers analyze the designs of their human research studies, because the peer-review process reduces research bias. 2. Scientists are unlikely to obtain money to conduct research if they don't consider the opinions and beliefs of the people in agencies who fund such projects. 3. Scientists developed dietary recommendations for the United States population after analyzing results of a single American study, the Framingham Heart Study. 4. Scientists typically use different methods to conduct research, which explains why studies involving humans often have conflicting results.

Scientists typically use different methods to conduct research, which explains why studies involving humans often have conflicting results.

Phil is a participant in a study designed to examine the effects of taking a new protein-containing product on muscle tissue development. Phil suspects he's in the experimental group, because he's 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 didn't receive the new source of protein. Phil thinks the researchers made a mistake—he's certain his muscle mass increased while he consumed the product. According to this information, Phil's belief that his physical condition improved while he participated in the study is an example of ________.

The placebo effect

A medical researcher asked 50 people with painful, arthritic knees to rub a cream that contained vitamin E on their knees for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, she asked the subjects whether their knee pain improved, stayed about the same, or worsened during the treatment period. All 50 subjects reported improvement in their knee pain. Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

The researcher's results aren't based on a well-designed, double-blind scientific study.

An ad for a weight-loss product contains several dishonest and misleading statements. Which of the following statements is a "red flag" statement that's in the ad?

This product is guaranteed to raise your metabolism by 400%, which is why it causes you to lose weight safely and rapidly.

Zack takes 500 mg of vitamin C daily. He advises his friends to take the vitamin C pills, because he claims the vitamin protects him from cold viruses. His information about the usefulness of the vitamin is a (an) ________.

anecdote

Men's Journal and Family Circle may be unreliable sources of nutrition information, because ________.

articles in such popular magazines generally do not undergo peer-review before they are published

Which of the following websites is most likely a source of biased and unreliable nutrition information?

bestdietsever.com

A magazine advertisement for a weight loss product includes before and after photos of a woman who supposedly lost 50 pounds in 3 weeks while taking the product. The bottom of the ad includes the statement, "Results are not typical." This statement is an example of a (an) ________.

disclaimer

Researchers are conducting a study to determine the effects of vitamin C on the human immune system. The study involves providing pills that contain vitamin C to one group of human subjects and pills that do not contain vitamin C or other active ingredients to another group of people. The pills that do not contain the vitamin are ________.

placebos

A person claims his newly invented device treats cancer without surgery, medication, or other forms of conventional medical therapy. However, people who have used the device report that it wasn't helpful, and it may have harmed them. According to this information, the inventor's claims and his device are ________.

quackery

When conducting nutrition-related experiments on human subjects, ______.

researchers need to have a control group

A scientist conducts a study to determine the effects of the mineral cadmium on the weight of mice. She adds 5 mcg of the mineral to the daily diet of 100 4-week-old laboratory mice. Every week, the researcher records the weight of each mouse. At the end of the study, the scientist notes that 3 mice died, 40 mice lost weight, 40 mice gained weight, and the remaining 17 mice didn't gain or lose weight during the 12-week period. Based on this information, the scientist's findings _____.

should be ignored because her study was poorly designed

Actress Lotta Talent appears in commercials endorsing an herbal product for weight loss. Her endorsement is an example of a (an) ________.

testimonial