Research & Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real ACBN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research & Evidence-Based Practice flashcards as text
A nutritionist wants to determine if a new dietary intervention reduces LDL cholesterol. Which study design provides the strongest causal evidence?
Answer: Randomized controlled trial
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the strongest causal evidence because random assignment minimizes confounding variables.
In a clinical nutrition study, 'blinding' refers to:
Answer: Preventing participants or researchers from knowing group assignments
Blinding prevents knowledge of group assignment, reducing bias in outcome assessment and participant behavior.
A meta-analysis of omega-3 supplementation trials reports a pooled effect size with a 95% confidence interval of 0.1 to 0.9 mmol/L triglyceride reduction. This means:
Answer: We are 95% confident the true population effect falls within that range
A 95% confidence interval means we are 95% confident the true population parameter lies within the stated range.
Which type of bias occurs when participants who drop out of a nutrition study differ systematically from those who complete it?
Answer: Attrition bias
Attrition bias occurs when dropouts differ from completers, potentially skewing results toward those who tolerated the intervention.
The PRISMA statement is a reporting guideline used for:
Answer: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) provides a checklist and flow diagram for transparent reporting of systematic reviews.
A nutritionist reviewing a study finds a p-value of 0.03 for a dietary intervention effect. The correct interpretation is:
Answer: The probability of observing results this extreme, if the null hypothesis were true, is 3%
A p-value represents the probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as observed, assuming the null hypothesis is true.
Which hierarchy of evidence level is correctly ranked HIGHEST to LOWEST?
Answer: Systematic review → RCT → cohort study → expert opinion
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs rank highest, followed by RCTs, cohort studies, and expert opinion at the lowest level.