Reports should be scrutinized for bias

Professors at the U are responsible to not only teach classes and be available during office hours, but they also have the privilege of doing research and publishing their findings in trade and professional journals. University studies and published articles often affect public policy decisions since the research implies a “best-fit” solution for a particular issue. However, we should be wary and learn to read between the lines of these studies.

Interestingly, in March, researchers at UC Berkeley said a fast-food restaurant within one-tenth of a mile from a high school means that ninth graders are at least 5.2 percent more likely to be obese. Last month, researchers at the U came to a different conclusion. In the U’s study, people who live more than half a mile away from a restaurant tend to be fatter. Granted, the studies were conducted under different conditions, but it seems strange that their research on a nearly identical topic reached different conclusions.

The Berkeley report concluded that restricting access to fast-food options near schools could have significant effects on obesity among students. The U’s conclusion is that healthier options should be presented to individuals through multiple food destinations within walking distance.

“A full-service grocery store means more in low-income neighborhoods where access to private transportation may be limited,” said Cathleen Zick, co-author of the U’s study and professor of family and consumer studies. “It is residents with no nearby food options who are at greatest risk of obesity. Not only are they without healthy grocery options nearby, there are no destinations to walk to, not even fast food. They must drive.”

Because these studies are used to influence urban and community planner decisions of how our neighborhoods should be structured, we need to be aware of why the research is conducted in the first place. It’s also important to know that numbers say what you want them to say. Berkeley researchers said cities concerned about battling teen obesity should consider banning fast-food restaurants near schools. This sounds like a plug from lobbyists for farmers markets and independent restaurants that dislike competition from McDonald’s or Wendy’s.

Hundreds of miles away, the U study suggests that placing restrictions on fast-food outlets might not be effective, but that initiatives to increase healthy neighborhood food options that people can walk to can reduce obesity risks. Either way, readers should be wary of study discrepancies before buying in completely.

http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/opinion/reports-should-be-scrutinized-for-bias-1.2051906