Medical data cleansing and checking: Save time by planning ahead

I’ve spent quite a bit of time recently analysing clinical datasets for a couple of projects. This has reminded me of the mistakes I have made in the past, and the lessons I have learned to make life SO much easier. I thought I’d share a few thoughts! Planning ahead and following some simple rules […]

Lifestyle changes and health. One size does not fit all

Continuing the theme of lifestyle influences on health and misinformation, I saw a patient in clinic last week who had taken the advice to join a gym and exercised regularly for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week. They were bitterly disappointed that they had not lost weight. In a similar vein, I was teaching medical […]

Lies, damned lies, and statistics revisited

I posted previously on reporting of scientific studies by the popular press. Diet related topics seem to be particularly prone to problems, I guess because they are particularly newsworthy. Diabetes also makes a good headline? A story from 2012 comes to mind, as a number of patients asked me about it. This study was published in the BMJ in […]

The Chocolate Question: Lies, damned lies, and statistics

I read with interest reports of a recent ‘study’ by a scientist and journalist who managed to get a flawed piece of research published in a (non-refereed) scientific journal from where it was taken up by the popular press (http://io9.com/i-fooled-millions-into-thinking-chocolate-helps-weight-1707251800). The ‘research’ claimed to demonstrate that chocolate was a beneficial addition to weight reducing diets. […]