Reader in Public Health Nutrition
King’s College London
Public Health Nutrition Research Ltd
UK
This edition first published 2020 © 2020 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data Names: Nelson, Michael (Nutritionist), author. Title: Statistics in nutrition and dietetics / Michael Nelson. Description: Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2019030279 (print) | ISBN 9781118930649 (paperback) | ISBN 9781118930632 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781118930625 (epub) Subjects: MESH: Nutritional Sciences–statistics & numerical data | Statistics as Topic | Research Design Classification: LCC RM217 (print) | LCC RM217 (ebook) | NLM QU 16.1 | DDC 613.2072/7–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019030279 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019030280
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To Stephanie
About the Author
Dr. Michael Nelson is Emeritus Reader in Public Health Nutrition at King's College London, and former Director of Research and Nutrition at the Children's Food Trust. He is currently Director of Public Health Nutrition Research Ltd (http://www.phnresearch.org.uk/).
His early career with the Medical Research Council sparked a keen interest in nutritional epidemiology, statistics, and measurement validity. Research interests have included the diets of UK school children and links between diet and poverty, cognitive function, behaviour and attainment, and monitoring the impact of standards on school lunch take-up and consumption. He collaborates nationally and internationally to promote a strong evidence base for school food policy. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and other publications in the public domain.
January 2020
Preface
WHY IS THIS BOOK NEEDED?
Worldwide, there is no basic statistics textbook that provides examples relevant to nutrition and dietetics. While it could be argued that general medical science statistics texts address the needs of nutrition and dietetics students, it is clear that students find it easier to take on board the concepts relating to statistical analysis and research if the examples are drawn from their own area of study. Many books also make basic assumptions about students' backgrounds that may not always be appropriate, and use statistical jargon that can be very off‐putting for students who are coming to statistics for the first time.
WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?
The book is aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students studying nutrition and dietetics, as well as their tutors and lecturers. In addition, there are many researchers in nutrition and dietetics who apply basic statistical techniques in the analysis of their data, for whom a basic textbook provides useful guidance, and which helps to refresh their university learning in this area with examples relevant to their own field.
LEVEL AND PRE‐REQUISITE
The level of the material is basic. It is based on a course that I taught at King's College London over many years to nutrition and dietetics students, physiotherapists, nurses, and medical students. One of the aims was to take the fear and boredom out of statistics. I did away with exams, and assessed understanding through practical exercises and coursework.
This book takes you only to the foothills of statistical analysis. A reasonable competence with arithmetic and a little algebra are required. For the application of more demanding and complex statistical techniques, the help of a statistician will be needed. Once you have mastered the material in this book, you may want to attempt a more advanced course on statistics.
AIMS AND SCOPE
The aim