Why does fitness science seem so contradictory?

Why is there a study to “prove” or “disprove” just about anything and everything?  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Hey there, One month, media headlines blazon that research has confirmed that one food or another reduces your risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, or some other nasty health condition. Hooray, you think, time to load up on said food! Then, some time later, after it has become a staple in your meal plans, the other shoe drops: new research refutes earlier findings and demonstrates that it actually increases your risk of disease and dysfunction. What the heck? How can scientific research just turn on a dime like that and do a full 180? Oh well, you think, a few months of eating this way can’t have been that harmful. Life goes on. Then it happens again. And again. And again. Eventually, you conclude that science can’t seem to make up its mind on anything, and you stop paying attention. Fortunately, this isn’t true. It may appear that there’s a study to “prove” or “disprove” just about any assertion, but this illusion isn’t the fault of science itself, but rather the widespread misunderstandings about the scientific process, media sensationalism, and sometimes even fraudulent research. In fact, there are nine primary reasons science can appear confusing and contradictory, and in my new book [Fitness Science Explained]( I spell out each. [Image of ]( [Shop Now]( For instance, several of the major factors are . . . 1. Media misrepresentation Attention spans are shorter than ever these days, and when news organizations have just a few hundred words or seconds to report on health matters, they can’t afford to discuss the nuances of complicated scientific research. Instead, they need titillating headlines and easily digested soundbites that draw eyeballs and clicks, and bounce around in social media and water cooler conversations. That inevitably leads to misinformation. 2. Cherry-picking evidence It’s very common to have dozens or even hundreds of published studies on any given topic, and in many cases, the results aren’t all in agreement. Sometimes the differing or even contradictory results come from differences in how the studies were designed and executed, sometimes shenanigans are afoot, and sometimes it’s just random chance. This is why scientists consider the weight of the evidence available as opposed to the findings of a single study. 3. Ignoring the quality of evidence There are many factors to consider when assessing the quality of a study, ranging from the type of research (observational or otherwise) it is to how well it’s designed, how many participants there were, whether humans or animals were involved, and more. Thus, when you’re working to determine the weight of the evidence, you have to consider not only the number of studies on each side, but the quality as well. 4. Oversimplification Science is full of nuance and therefore research usually doesn’t lend itself well to headlines and soundbites, which is what most people want—simple, neat, black-or-white answers to their questions. Unfortunately, though, many scientific topics operate more in shades of grey, and especially when the evidence isn’t strong. There is often a lot of uncertainty in the realm of science, which the general public finds uncomfortable. They don’t want “informed guesses,” they want certainties that make their lives easier, and science is often unequipped to meet these demands. There are five more reasons that science can seem impenetrable, and you can learn about each in the first chapter of [Fitness Science Explained](. Click here to get your copy now: ⇒ [( Then, in the next chapter, you’ll learn how to think about science (what is science, exactly, and how does the scientific method work?), followed by an analysis of the four primary types of scientific evidence (which are weak, which are strong, and why?). And those are just the appetizers of the scholarly feast that awaits you in [Fitness Science Explained](. So, if you want to know how to find, understand, and apply scientific research to improve your body composition, reduce your risk of disease or dysfunction, or maximize some other aspect of your body, mind, or life, this book will show you the way. Go for it! Mike P.S. [Fitness Science Explained]( doesn’t require that you have any higher learning or background in science or health and fitness. My co-author James Krieger (published fitness scientist) and I designed it from the outset to teach you in simple terms how to understand and evaluate scientific research, and we cover all of the big moving parts, including . . . - The basics of the scientific method - The differences between randomized trials and observational studies - The placebo effect - The fundamentals of statistical analysis - And much more So, while this book can’t deliver the depth of understanding provided by a formal education, it will give you a crash course in identifying good and bad science and credible experts and fake gurus. Here’s that link again: ⇒ [( Want to earn cash back on every purchase you make? [Click here to learn how](. Already have a rewards account? [Click here to view your point balance](. To update your email preferences, [click here](. 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