Science of Nutrition

Question 1

What is nutrition?

Answer 1

Nutrition is the branch of Science that studies the process by which living organisms take in and use food for the maintenance of life, growth, reproduction, the functioning of organs and tissues, and the production of energy.

Question 2

What is the highest level in the hierarchy of evidence?

Answer 2

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses combine results from multiple studies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a research question.

Question 3

What follows Meta-Analyses in the hierarchy of evidence?

Answer 3

Systematic Reviews

Systematic Reviews summarize and evaluate existing studies on a particular topic.

Question 4

What are Critically Appraised Topics?

Answer 4

Summaries of evidence that have been evaluated for quality and relevance

They provide a synthesis of the best available evidence on a specific question.

Question 5

What are Critically Appraised Individual Articles?

Answer 5

Individual studies that have been assessed for their quality and relevance

These articles are reviewed and rated based on established criteria.

Question 6

What type of study is characterized by random assignment to groups?

Answer 6

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)

RCTs are considered the gold standard in clinical research for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.

Question 7

What type of study follows a group of individuals over time to assess outcomes?

Answer 7

Cohort Studies

Cohort Studies track participants who share a common characteristic or experience to determine how these factors affect outcomes.

Question 8

What is the focus of Case-Controlled Studies?

Answer 8

Comparing individuals with a specific condition to those without

These studies help identify factors that may contribute to the condition.

Question 9

What do Case Series / Reports provide?

Answer 9

Detailed descriptions of individual cases or a series of cases

They are often used in clinical settings to document unusual or novel findings.

Question 10

What type of information is categorized as Background Information / Expert Opinion?

Answer 10

Insights and recommendations based on professional experience and knowledge

This type of evidence is less robust and often used when other evidence is lacking.

Question 11

What is the difference between filtered and unfiltered information?

Answer 11

Filtered information is critically appraised, whereas unfiltered information is not

Filtered information provides higher quality and more reliable evidence.

Question 12

What is the primary focus of case-control studies?

Answer 12

Identifying individuals who have developed a disease and comparing their past exposure to potential causal factors against controls who haven’t contracted the disease

Question 13

What is a major limitation of case-control studies?

Answer 13

They can be subject to selection bias

Question 14

What type of study design is characterized as cross-sectional?

Answer 14

Case-control studies, as they only offer a snapshot in time

Question 15

Fill in the blank: Case-control studies cannot detect _______.

Answer 15

relative risk

Question 16

What is a selection bias?

Answer 16

A bias that occurs when individuals chosen for a study are not randomized in any way

Question 17

What are cohort studies?

Answer 17

These studies take a ‘cohort’ of individuals and monitor them over time to determine if they develop a disease or condition etc.

Question 18

What is a benefit of cohort studies?

Answer 18

Good for investigating rare exposures.

Question 19

What can cohort studies look at over time?

Answer 19

Relative risk.

Question 20

What can cohort studies determine regarding events?

Answer 20

Sequence of events.

Question 21

What is a limitation of cohort studies?

Answer 21

Subject to selection bias.

Question 22

What is required to investigate rare exposures in cohort studies?

Answer 22

Large numbers of individuals.

Question 23

What type of bias can affect retrospective cohort studies?

Answer 23

Recall bias.

Question 24

What is a benefit of Randomised Control Trials (RCT)?

Answer 24

Excellent at eliminating bias

RCTs are designed to reduce the influence of confounding variables.

Question 25

What is another benefit of Randomised Control Trials?

Answer 25

Reduce spurious causality ## Footnote RCTs help establish a clearer cause-and-effect relationship.

Question 26

What is a limitation of Randomised Control Trials?

Answer 26

High cost ## Footnote RCTs often require significant financial resources for implementation.

Question 27

What is another limitation of Randomised Control Trials?

Answer 27

Take a long time to undertake ## Footnote The duration of RCTs can extend over several years.

Question 28

What is a time constraint related to Randomised Control Trials?

Answer 28

Limited by time to a degree ## Footnote Long trials are still only 5-10 years in duration.

Question 29

Can all studies be performed using an RCT design?

Answer 29

No ## Footnote Certain types of studies or conditions may not be suitable for RCTs.

Question 30

What is a Critically Appraised Individual Article?

Answer 30

An individual research article appraised by an expert in the field

Question 31

What is the purpose of appraising a Critically Appraised Individual Article?

Answer 31

To determine the clinical usefulness of the article

Question 32

What aspects are evaluated in a Critically Appraised Individual Article?

Answer 32

Appropriateness of study design, statistical methods used, potential conflicts of interest

Question 33

True or False: Expert opinion pieces address the same elements as Critically Appraised Individual Articles.

Answer 33

False

Question 34

Fill in the blank: Critically Appraised Individual Articles are appraised in a _______ manner.

Answer 34

[systematic]

Question 35

What is a Critically Appraised Topic?

Answer 35

A research topic appraised by an expert in the field ## Footnote It assesses the overall topic rather than individual articles.

Question 36

How does a Critically Appraised Topic differ from a Critically Appraised Individual Article?

Answer 36

It assesses a topic in a systematic manner rather than evaluating a single article ## Footnote This allows for a broader understanding of the topic's relevance.

Question 37

What is the aim of a Critically Appraised Topic?

Answer 37

To determine the usefulness of the articles in the area ## Footnote This involves evaluating the quality and applicability of research findings.

Question 38

What is a systematic review?

Answer 38

A type of literature review that uses systematic methods to collect data, analyze studies, and synthesize findings based upon a specific research question. ## Footnote Systematic reviews are crucial for summarizing evidence in healthcare.

Question 39

What are systematic reviews of RCTs considered to be a cornerstone of?

Answer 39

Evidence based medicine. ## Footnote RCTs refer to Randomized Controlled Trials, which are vital for assessing the effectiveness of interventions.

Question 40

Name a strength of systematic reviews.

Answer 40

They provide comprehensive summaries of existing research. ## Footnote This allows for better-informed decision-making in clinical practice.

Question 41

Name a weakness of systematic reviews.

Answer 41

They may be limited by the quality of the included studies. ## Footnote If the underlying studies are flawed, the systematic review's conclusions may also be compromised.

Question 42

What are the strengths of systematic reviews?

Answer 42

* More robust than regular literature reviews * Can be widely used for multiple purposes * Intended to reduce bias through a systematic approach ## Footnote Systematic reviews are comprehensive and structured evaluations of existing literature, providing a higher level of evidence.

Question 43

What are the limitations of systematic reviews?

Answer 43

* Can still be subject to bias * Can become out of date relatively quickly if not updated ## Footnote Bias may arise from the reviewer's perspective or from the selection of literature included in the review.

Question 44

True or False: Systematic reviews completely eliminate bias.

Answer 44

False ## Footnote While systematic reviews aim to reduce bias, they can still be influenced by the reviewer's choices and the literature selected.

Question 45

Fill in the blank: Systematic reviews are _______ than regular literature reviews.

Answer 45

[more robust] ## Footnote This robustness refers to the comprehensive nature and structured methodology of systematic reviews.

Question 46

What is a key characteristic of systematic reviews?

Answer 46

The systematic nature intended to reduce bias ## Footnote This characteristic distinguishes systematic reviews from traditional literature reviews.

Question 47

What is a meta-analysis?

Answer 47

A meta-analysis is a 'study of studies' that combines data from selected studies to determine an overall effect. ## Footnote Meta-analysis is considered a comprehensive method for evaluating research findings across multiple studies.

Question 48

Why is meta-analysis regarded as the 'gold standard' of evidence?

Answer 48

Because it uses statistical procedures to combine data from multiple studies, providing a more robust conclusion. ## Footnote This method helps to mitigate biases that may occur in individual studies.

Question 49

What organization is known for using meta-analysis techniques to inform medical decision making?

Answer 49

Cochrane UK. ## Footnote Cochrane UK is a charity that aims to improve healthcare decisions through systematic reviews.

Question 50

Fill in the blank: A meta-analysis is a _______.

Answer 50

'study of studies'.

Question 51

What statistical approach is used in meta-analysis?

Answer 51

Statistical procedures to combine data from selected studies. ## Footnote This approach allows for the assessment of overall effects across various research contexts.