Question

"Eat For 10 Hours. Fast For 14. This Daily Habit Prompts Weight Loss, Study Finds"

This is the title of an NPR article about a 2019 study that recruited 19 overweight adults diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (elevated blood sugar, elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure). Participants were asked to restrict any eating to a period of just 10 hours each day. The study found a statistically significant reduction in body weight after 12 weeks of this eating pattern.
1. To be able to conclude that a time-restricted eating pattern causes a weight loss in this population on average, we would need to ___________.
O use a much larger sample than what this study used
O collect weight-loss data on all adults, not just adults with metabolic syndrome
O find a significant weight-loss difference for participants that would be randomly assigned to time-restricted eating or regular eating
O collect weight-loss data on the entire population of adults with metabolic syndrome
O make sure that the study found a very small P-value and check that the conditions for inference were all met

Answer 1

Option A

Explanation:

To conclude that a time-restricted eating pattern causes a weight loss in this population on average, we would need to use a much larger sample than the 19 actually used in the study to get an unbiased conclusion and to also ensure that the sample itself and whatever result produced is a true representation of this particular population itself.