Chapter 16 Research

Objectives• Understand the various forms of nutrition research

including epidemiological, historical, descriptive survey, analytical survey, and experimental.

• Be able to identify which type of research is being used to generate the findings you are observing

• Understand how to identify the quality of the research by examining values such as validity, reliability, accuracy and precision

• Know some of the insoluble and soluble problems that can be faced when doing research.

• Understand some of the limitations of Web based information on nutrition and supplementation.

Major Types of Research Used in Nutrition Research

• Epidemiological research

• Prospective (cohort)

• Retrospective

• Historical

• Descriptive survey

• Analytical survey

• Experimental

• Pre-test,post-test; crossover

• Clinical trials

Table 16-2, p. 555

Descriptive Survey

Fig. 16-2, p. 557

Analytical Survey Method

Fig. 16-3, p. 558

Experimental Method

Table 16-3, p. 559

Table 16-4, p. 559

Table 16-5, p. 560

Table 16-6, p. 560

How to Determine the Quality of the Research

• Validity – concerned with the effectiveness of the measuring instrument

•Face validity

•Criterion validity

•Internal or external validity

• Accuracy

• Reliability

• Precision

Table 16-8, p. 563

Table 16-7, p. 562