title: Common scientific and statistical errors in obesity research.
abstract: This review identifies 10 common errors and problems in the statistical analysis, design, interpretation, and reporting of obesity research and discuss how they can be avoided. The 10 topics are: 1) misinterpretation of statistical significance, 2) inappropriate testing against baseline values, 3) excessive and undisclosed multiple testing and "P-value hacking," 4) mishandling of clustering in cluster randomized trials, 5) misconceptions about nonparametric tests, 6) mishandling of missing data, 7) miscalculation of effect sizes, 8) ignoring regression to the mean, 9) ignoring confirmation bias, and 10) insufficient statistical reporting. It is hoped that discussion of these errors can improve the quality of obesity research by helping researchers to implement proper statistical practice and to know when to seek the help of a statistician.
authors.affiliation: Office of Energetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: T Mark
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Beasley
authors.affiliation: Office of Energetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.|Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Rositsa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dimova
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Divers
authors.affiliation: Office of Energetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.|Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: TaShauna U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Goldsby
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Moonseong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Office of Energetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.|Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Mimi Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Office of Energetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.|Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.|Department of Health Services Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Tapan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Asheley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stuart
authors.affiliation: Office of Energetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.|Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.|Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Allison
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000592:standards*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*