Every day, it seems, a new study pertaining to weight loss or nutrition is released to the public. These studies tout the latest and greatest trends, products or discoveries and then a willing public jumps on the bandwagon expecting mighty results.
Have you ever wondered about the reliability or efficacy of those studies? Do they stand the test of time or slip into obscurity only to be replaced or supplanted by another study?
Well, Greek researcher Dr. John Ioannidis decided to study the studies and he came to some very interesting conclusions. Dr. Ioannidis reviewed 45 studies published in one of three prominent medical journals (New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Lancet) between 1990 and 2003. Of the 45 studies, seven of them (16%) were contradicted by later research and another seven (16%) were found in subsequent studies to have effects that were lesser than initially thought.
At this rate, over three in ten studies released will report results that are either not as solid as originally reported, or are completely incorrect. Going six or seven for ten in baseball is a Hall of Fame-paced trend, but what does this mean for those of us who are relying on these studies to help us win the "Battle of the Bulge?"
Like choosing a new shirt or blouse, a haircut or hairstyle, or a paint color for a house or a room, there is inherently more risk in selecting an option that has not been time-tested than one that has. We've all come across a garment in our own closets that caused us to wonder just what we were thinking when we bought that horrible thing. Similarly, jumping on a scientific bandwagon that "promises" to be the road to success can leave you broken down on the side of the road.
When new studies are released, remember that there are members of the media and business people who stand to gain from over-promoting results that are too new to trust. Of the contradicted results, half were completely incorrect (or so it seems) and half were shown to be much less effective than originally reported.
From a practical standpoint, ask yourself if you are willing to set yourself back by gaining weight rather than losing it, or by spending time pursuing an option that simply doesn't produce the results you expected. Fighting the Battle of the Bulge successfully means that you need to have a positive attitude at all times. It is too easy to become discouraged and make destructive decisions and following advice from reliable sources that turns out to be bad can be just the kind of discouragement you don't need.
As with fashion and paint colors, if you are making decisions for the long haul, it is better to be conservative than to go with the latest trends. When you read or hear of new scientific studies whose advice you might be tempted to follow, the best decision would be to find out if the study is confirming earlier or previous work. If so, odds are that the advice is going to stand the test of time. In the meanwhile, eat fewer calories than you burn and drink lots of water and you'll continue to move in the right direction!
Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter (weeklyweightlosstips.com) and the Chief Technology Officer for http://www.wellnesspartners.com, an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products such as http://www.wellnesspartners.com, http://www.wellnesspartners.com, and Green Tea Extract.
Batchtown Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWhat do you think of the hundreds of weight loss... Read More
Negative calorie foods are said to use more calories to... Read More
If you're thinking of going on a diet to lose... Read More
Hoodia Gordonii a cactus plant found thousands of miles away... Read More
Are you weighted down with delusion, depression and on the... Read More
A "normal-tummy" looks at the food pyramid from the bottom... Read More
A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for... Read More
Are you frustrated with your weight problem and don't know... Read More
At the beginning of December, WeightWatchers.com announced the release of... Read More
We have all set them, and we will revisit them... Read More
A Little Help With Some Difficult terms ------------------------------------------ Aerobic... Read More
Families who dine out with their loved ones who've had... Read More
The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited... Read More
Why was the FDA trying to hide the facts about... Read More
Among the most popular forms of dieting is the South... Read More
There is never any absolute certainty about what the nutritional... Read More
It's been called the world's oldest medicine, the miracle fat... Read More
Acupuncture for weight loss is a modern application of this... Read More
The safe way to lose weight begins with a thorough... Read More
1. What is Atkins Diet? Dr. Atkins diet, first introduced... Read More
Very few Americans are satisfied with their current weights. There... Read More
It is very important for low carb dieters to stick... Read More
CancerCoronary heart diseaseStrokeOsteoporosisMajor Depression from Brain StarvationHeadlines.WASHINGTON, Jun 22, 2004... Read More
Changing our eating behaviour is one of the critical lifestyle... Read More
I bet you already know all the health benefits for... Read More
shuttle from Midway Munster are ..Recently, I was reading about a diet plan where you... Read More
What is negative calorie effect? Whatever food we eat,... Read More
Everyone who has ever been on a diet has hit... Read More
Fighting obesity has become one of the most important issues... Read More
Getting Kids Moving - Help for Overweight TeensA residential school... Read More
Your brain has this really interesting system that is kind... Read More
Life is great, isn't it? Stop and just look around... Read More
Adverse Events with Volumetrics Dr. Barbara Rolls is a well... Read More
Weight loss is a hot topic among people today, especially... Read More
In today's bustling world we are constantly surrounded by media... Read More
Yesterday evening my computer hard drive crashed. Resulting in the... Read More
You are not a kid any more and becoming a... Read More
When we discover that we are heavier than we want... Read More
Have you ever wondered where destiny would lead you? Have... Read More
To lose weight and get in shape you must have... Read More
Healthy living begins with healthy eating and healthy eating begins... Read More
Now I know you're always asking yourself questions.You know the... Read More
Have you ever stopped to calculate how much time you... Read More
Weight training combines building muscle tone and working the cardiovascular... Read More
When most people begin a Weight Loss program or diet... Read More
What is the advantage of these new half sugar and... Read More
Only if you're trying to fool the scale on a... Read More
If you were going to travel to the other side... Read More
Include in your diet things that contain more water like... Read More
Recently, I read an article from Japanese magazine that by... Read More
Weight Loss |