READING RESEARCH 101

Label reading 101. Can reading labels help children make healthier food choices?

n a position paper of the American Dietetic Association, dietary guidance is given for healthy children aged 2 to 11 years. The paper states: " It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that children ages 2 to 11 years should achieve optimal physical and cognitive development , attain a healthy weight, enjoy food and reduce risk of chronic disease through appropriate eating habits...

Clinical research 101: Why should you care?

In this issue’s Clinical Research Capsule, we ask the fundamental question: “Why care about research?” Clinicians sometimes have a distanced attitude towards research. The reasons for this are many: conducting research is difficult; it is only for those who are statistically minded; it means having NIH or equivalent funding; finally, it does not pertain to them as research is separate from pati...

Reading ’ s research

A primer on reading research.

I am sure that many of us at times have found the reports in journals to be baffling at best and a myriad of figures, jargon, and graphs at worst. For the researcher who sincerely wishes his information read and the findings applied, the feeling of hopelessness is mirrored. The fact that scientific journals are often inundated with research material is readily demonstrated by browsing through a...

Critically reading a research article*.

This paper presents a method for critically reading a research article. Emphasis is placed on the specific format of the question being asked, the control of variables to ensure internal and external validity, selected basic rules for applying statistics, and the justification for specific conclusions drawn by the investigator. The method is designed to be clinically relevant with the final eva...