At what point..

jacksonpt
jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
At what point do you give enough credence to a study to where you believe it as truth?

Time and time again points are argued on this site. The good arguments site studies to support their point. But studies are just that... studies. They are not fact. They are based on a finite number of test cases/subjects, make certain assumptions, etc etc.

What makes you believe one study over another? At what point do a series of studies cause to to believe something different from what had been a long standing "truth"? At what point do studies cause you to change your behavior? Is it enough for the study to be supported by Lyle McDonald or Jillian Michaels (who ever thought those 2 names would be in the same sentence together???) or whoever your health/fitness guru is? How many people on a forum have to claim something from a study for it to become truth?

This is often something I wonder about as I read about health and nutrition.

Replies

  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Good stuff.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    I have about 4 gurus that I will believe no matter what they say really. Maybe that is bad, but I love their work and have read so much on it. They back all claims with a large amount of studies that I will also read. They can interpret primary research that I don't have time to really look into great detail

    ETA: Not Jillian Micheals. Just so we are clear xD
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    I have about 4 gurus that I will believe no matter what they say really. Maybe that is bad, but I love their work and have read so much on it. They back all claims with a large amount of studies that I will also read. They can interpret primary research that I don't have time to really look into great detail

    ETA: Not Jillian Micheals. Just so we are clear xD

    I'm curious as to who? If you don't mind..
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    Lyle McDonald, Alan Aragon, Martin Berkhan, Brad Pilon

    Those are my four. And the ones I can keep up with xD
    Tend to follow Lyle McDonald quite a bit, always on http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/articles it seems
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I think it depends on a few factors.

    If there are multiple studies supporting an idea then this gives it more credibility.

    It depends on the protocol of the study or studies.

    It depends on what the study is about. For example, if a study comes out showing that we don't really need to lift weights in order to build muscle, and it turns out that snow-shoeing will do more than squats will, I'm probably not going to start snow-shoeing.

    But, if I see several studies that show that brown rice mixed with peas leads to explosive diarrhea, I will probably change this behavior.

    So, it's situational. Nonetheless, good post.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    bump
  • Faintgreeneyes
    Faintgreeneyes Posts: 729 Member
    Quite honestly, I am pretty much a skeptic when it comes to believing in studies. It is easy enough to publish results that one wants. Yes, I know, you will say that numbers cannot not lie. Well they can, if you tweak things enough to get the results you want.
    I am not saying this is done as a whole, but I am more willing to try things that have been proven by both science and by regular people who have actually seen results. Even then, I am still cautious, because as we know, something that works for one, will not neccessarily work for all.
    So I don't think there are really any studies that I will fully believe as "truth"- if there are enough independant studies done, and results from others outside the experiment where it has worked, then I would lean more towards believing in the validitiy of the statments made, but I don't think you can have any absolute truths in studies. I think there will always be a margin of error.

    Just my personal opinons... :-)
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,375 Member
    Peer reviewed science in a professional journal is the only thing I ever give credence to. Within that body of work, I look for studies with adequate or large sample sizes, representative samples (reflective of general population of individuals in question), ones whose conclusions do not outstrip the methods used (no overreaching arguments), ones whose results have been repeated by other studies, etc. I do, however, have an extensive background in science (doing a Ph.D. currently and hold a B.S. in applied math myself). I highly recommend that people learn some basics on logic and the scientific method just to have the tools to know what is "good" and "bad" science. The ability to distinguish between a scientific fact and a scientific opinion is a critic life skill.

    The rest of the guru science is just loose logic based on pseudoscience (at best).
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    In regards to health and nutrition - Research becomes truth when it works for an individual who took the time to implement the strategies discussed with fidelity.

    Until then it's just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo hog wash that may have worked for someone else, but couldn't possibly work for everyone - especially "me."
  • Strobins05
    Strobins05 Posts: 716
    Lyle McDonald, Alan Aragon, Martin Berkhan, Brad Pilon

    Those are my four. And the ones I can keep up with xD
    Tend to follow Lyle McDonald quite a bit, always on http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/articles it seems

    Lyle McDonald does have some very interesting reads/ points/ articles, etc. And you can generalize them yourself without being left wondering what the heck he is talking about!
  • morgthom75
    morgthom75 Posts: 127 Member
    I think it depends on a few factors.

    If there are multiple studies supporting an idea then this gives it more credibility.

    It depends on the protocol of the study or studies.

    It depends on what the study is about. For example, if a study comes out showing that we don't really need to lift weights in order to build muscle, and it turns out that snow-shoeing will do more than squats will, I'm probably not going to start snow-shoeing.

    But, if I see several studies that show that brown rice mixed with peas leads to explosive diarrhea, I will probably change this behavior.

    So, it's situational. Nonetheless, good post.

    Exactly. Also, studies of my own body, ie., what works best for me. Scientists be damned!
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    I just subscribe to the AARR and pay him to do my thinking for me
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Lyle McDonald, Alan Aragon, Martin Berkhan, Brad Pilon


    yes, yes, yes, and yes!
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    I have spent a lot of time in higher ed. Graduate school and the whole nine. I've spent my entire adulthood researching, parsing information, verifying sources, etc.

    I can tell a good peer reviewed study when I see one, but I'm certainly not going to pretend like I understand what they are saying. My background is in liberal arts not science.

    So, to answer your question, I don't put faith in studies. I go about things through trial and error. When I come across something new I check the logic. If the logic works out I decide whether or not it would be a good fit for my lifestyle. If I think so I give it a try, if I think not I move on.

    If someone asks what I think I'll tell them and offer up anecdotal evidence (maybe point them to something I've read), but I'm not for a second going to pretend that I have a scientific basis for those opinions. I'll leave that to the scientists.

    I'll tell you one thing, I've read a lot of BS on MFP. I'm just glad I'm not one to believe everything I read or I'd be going full steam ahead in the wrong direction so far as my personal health is concerned!
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    My background is not in science so I couldn't tell you whether a study is "quality" or not. I do know a study of 8 people is not a good sample size. I do know someone trying to sell me their product...whether it's P90X, gym membership, or Ageless Male is going to throw a study at me to get me to buy in. And then there's logic, based on wide acceptance of certain concepts...even if there is some debate. There is a chance I'm in that 10% that "That" study showed as an exception, there's a 90% chance that I'm with the general population.

    So. After I evaluate what my goals are I start with the generally accepted concepts to reach those goals and tweak from there within the constraints of my time and financial resources.
  • uLinx
    uLinx Posts: 148
    I don't think there are any gurus. I just keep informed about different studies that suggest different behaviours. If I think that those could work for me, I try them out and see what happens. If they do work, fine. If not, they may work for someone else. I always think you should be the person who knows you the best.
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