This is the Weight and Healthcare newsletter! If you like what you are reading, please consider subscribing and/or sharing! In my work around weight science and healthcare, I see a lot of confusion about, and misuse of, statistics. Today I thought I would point out the three of the most common issues that I experience.
Thank you for this breakdown! I’ve taken statistics and I didn’t realize how much the diet industry was manipulating them and misinterpreting them.
Also that doctor who misinterpreted “100% increase” makes me cringe so hard. I am horrified and think this is a really basic concept. If they don’t understand this kind of math, how can we be sure they’re safely running the calculations for medication dosing and whatnot?
I agree! I also took statistics, and the way they are misused drives me up the wall. However, I learned about percentages in school much earlier and already understood the difference between "100%" and "a 100% increase," and I would have expected a surgeon to know that, too. Surely math and percentages--especially those involved in calculating surgery complications--are incredibly important in medicine, therefore I would be deeply concerned about the competency of this surgeon.
Thank you so much for this! I've never taken a statistics course so, although I have known for a while that statistics are often misunderstood and misused, the information you provided is eye-opening and empowering.
Even if the paper *had* said there was a 100% complication rate, I feel like the surgeon should realize that's completely unreasonable.
The opposite comes up, too. If people are told that there's, for example, a 20% increase in the risk of malnutrition after having bariatric surgery, they might not regard that as significant enough to stop them from having it. If that's actually 20 percentage points, raising their risk from 1% to 21%, that might change things more. (I completely fabricated the numbers, but the improper use of percentages to influence people is sadly not made up!)
Another one that I've seen a lot is people who use "150% more" and "150% as much" interchangeably. If they're confused, I suggest they think about the difference between "50% more" and "50% as much".
I think it's awful when someone uses math improperly to influence how many paper towels you think you're buying. I think it's *unconscionable* when someone incorrectly uses percentages or statistics to influence choices related to a person's health and well-being.
Thank you for this breakdown! I’ve taken statistics and I didn’t realize how much the diet industry was manipulating them and misinterpreting them.
Also that doctor who misinterpreted “100% increase” makes me cringe so hard. I am horrified and think this is a really basic concept. If they don’t understand this kind of math, how can we be sure they’re safely running the calculations for medication dosing and whatnot?
I agree! I also took statistics, and the way they are misused drives me up the wall. However, I learned about percentages in school much earlier and already understood the difference between "100%" and "a 100% increase," and I would have expected a surgeon to know that, too. Surely math and percentages--especially those involved in calculating surgery complications--are incredibly important in medicine, therefore I would be deeply concerned about the competency of this surgeon.
Thank you so much for this! I've never taken a statistics course so, although I have known for a while that statistics are often misunderstood and misused, the information you provided is eye-opening and empowering.
Even if the paper *had* said there was a 100% complication rate, I feel like the surgeon should realize that's completely unreasonable.
The opposite comes up, too. If people are told that there's, for example, a 20% increase in the risk of malnutrition after having bariatric surgery, they might not regard that as significant enough to stop them from having it. If that's actually 20 percentage points, raising their risk from 1% to 21%, that might change things more. (I completely fabricated the numbers, but the improper use of percentages to influence people is sadly not made up!)
Another one that I've seen a lot is people who use "150% more" and "150% as much" interchangeably. If they're confused, I suggest they think about the difference between "50% more" and "50% as much".
I think it's awful when someone uses math improperly to influence how many paper towels you think you're buying. I think it's *unconscionable* when someone incorrectly uses percentages or statistics to influence choices related to a person's health and well-being.