DO YOU BELIEVE THIS STAT IS TRUE? WHY OR WHY NOT

To make more sense of this lesson, I found an article that utilized regression analysis for their research. The article researched the effects of obesity on young medical students as a risk factor for chronic diseases. This study was conducted over 13 years and found an increase, or positive correlation, from their participants. The x, or independent variable was the participants' obesity index; the y, or dependent variable, was the researchers' study of their serum GPT, which is related to heart and liver function. In addition, the researchers also analyzed the patients' systolic blood pressure, red blood cell count, and physical activity tolerance; all tests were labeled as dependent variables. Although all signs point to obesity causing more chronic diseases in young college students, correlation does not always mean causation. To say that obesity is the absolute cause of chronic disease, would take more than 13 years to definitively conclude that hypothesis. There also could be underlying causes such as genetics, environment, and even mental illness could be contributing to the participants' chronic disease. With more research and data, the hypothesis that obesity in young students causes chronic diseases such as heart failure would be fact. The article's conclusion to this subject is as follows, "it can be concluded that constant obesity in students is related to liver dysfunction, probably due to fatty liver frequently seen in the precise examination of these individuals" (Ohe et al., 1992). Although they made a conclusion to their theory, notice they used the word "probably". This would imply they cannot definitively conclude their hypothesis as well.