Define the term risk.
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The probability of an event/harm occurring in a given period
Health Risk Data Analysis And Risk Perception
Explain the difference between correlation and causation.
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Correlation is a statistical relationship between two variables (where they change together); causation means one variable directly produces a change in the other; correlation does not prove causation due to confounding variables
Suggest two reasons why two studies investigating the same dietary risk factor might produce conflicting evidence.
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Differences in sample size/composition; different lengths of study/follow-up periods; different methods of measuring the risk factor; differing control of confounding variables (any 2)
Explain why a large sample size improves the reliability of a study.
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Reduces the effect of chance/random variation on the mean; allows detection of smaller true differences; anomalies have less impact on overall results
Distinguish between a valid study and a reliable study.
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A valid study measures what it claims to measure (variables tightly controlled); a reliable study produces consistent results when repeated
Suggest two reasons why poor selection of participants in a CHD study could weaken the conclusions.
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Sample may not be representative of the whole population/contains selection bias; sample may share confounding variables (e.g. all smokers); restricts conclusions to the sampled subgroup only (any 2)
State two psychological factors that may cause people to underestimate the health risks of their diet.
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Familiarity with the food/risk; optimism bias (believing they are personally less likely to be affected); personal experience of unaffected relatives; voluntary nature of food choices (any 2)
Explain why people often overestimate the risk of plane crashes but underestimate the risk of CHD from a poor diet.
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Plane crashes receive heavy/dramatic media coverage so seem common; they are involuntary/novel risks so feel more threatening; CHD develops slowly/silently and dietary harm is familiar so people downplay it
Suggest one reason why a public health campaign showing CHD mortality rates may not change behaviour.
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People believe they are personally less likely to be affected (optimism bias); statistics feel impersonal and do not motivate behaviour change; familiar dietary risks feel routine so are dismissed (any 1, plus development)
Discuss why many people continue to eat foods high in saturated fat despite knowing the link with CHD. Use information given and your own knowledge to support your answer.
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People perceive personal risk as lower than the population risk (optimism bias); familiarity with high-fat foods makes the risk feel routine; CHD develops over decades so harm is not immediate or visible; voluntary food choices feel under personal control; conflicting evidence in the media leads to confusion about which fats are harmful; lifestyle change requires effort and many lack motivation/support; correlation between fat intake and CHD does not feel like personal causation; cultural and social pressures around food override health information; cost or availability of healthier alternatives may also be limiting