Epidemiological Study Designs in the Media
Nearly every day, population health studies appear in the media. The studies often include epidemiological research. The type of study design used can have a profound impact on how the study results are analyzed, interpreted, and reported. Common study designs include case control, cohort, cross-sectional, and community intervention trials
Based on media descriptions of the research, however, facts about the issue under study may appear less than obvious. Media reports may sensationalize results and overstate outcomes. Someone familiar with epidemiological methodology may note a lack of detail in mass media reports of research findings compared to articles published in peer-reviewed journals.
For this Discussion, you will compare an epidemiological study to a mass media article written about the study to examine ways epidemiologic information is disseminated to and utilized by different audiences.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
· Curley, A. L. C. (Ed.). (2024).
Population-based nursing: Concepts and competencies for advanced practice (4th ed.). Springer.
· Chapter 6, “Applying Evidence at the Population Level” (pp. 128-157)
· Chapter 7, “Using Information Technology to Improve Population Outcomes” (pp. 158-182)
· Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2021).
Epidemiology for public health practiceLinks to an external site.(6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett.
· Appendix A, “Guide to the Critical Appraisal of an Epidemiologic/Public Health Research Article”
· American Journal of Health Behavior. (n.d.).
Writing a press releaseLinks to an external site.
.
· The James Lind Library. (n.d.).
to an external site.
· Hammes, L. S., Rossi, A. P., Pedrotti, L. G., Pitrez, P. M., Mutlaq, M. P., & Rosa, R. G. (2021).
Is the press properly presenting the epidemiological data on COVID-19? An analysis of newspapers from 25 countriesLinks to an external site..
Journal of Public Health Policy,
42(3), 359–372.
· Shah, H. M., & Chung, K. C. (2009).
Archie Cochrane and his vision for evidence-based medicineLinks to an external site..
Plastic and reconstructive surgery,
124(3), 982–988.
· Walden University Doctoral Capstone Form and Style. (n.d.).
APA style for capstone writers: Abstracts for the capstone.Links to an external site.
· Walden University Library. (n.d.).
Evaluating resources: Journals.Links to an external site.
To prepare:
· Locate a mass media article published
within the last year that describes findings of an epidemiological study. Be sure that the article is about an epidemiological study and not another area of population health.
· Then, use the Walden Library to locate the peer-reviewed research article on which the mass media report is based.
By Day 3 of Week 7
Post a response to the following:
· Briefly summarize the study you found, and then include the citations for both the mass media and the peer-reviewed articles.
· Explain what epidemiological concepts are included in the mass media article (e.g., measures of association, study design, confounders, and bias) and how they compare to those in the peer-reviewed article.
· Give your assessment of how well the mass media article represented the actual research that was conducted. Describe any obvious omissions from the mass media article that epidemiologists critiquing the study would need to know.
· Finally, imagine that a patient brings this mass media article to you and asks you for your informed opinion. Explain how you would respond or interpret the article for the patient.
By Day 6 of Week 7
Respond to
at least two colleagues on
two different days in one or more of the following ways:
· Compare your selected articles with respect to differences in study design.
· Discuss differences or similarities in the media coverage of your selected studies.
· Expand on a colleague’s posting with additional insight and resources.
· Make a suggestion or comment that guides or facilitates the discussion.
Remember to include information from the Learning Resources as appropriate.
RESPOND TO THIS DISCUSSION POST
Yvonne
Summary of the Study-Artificial sweetener found in diet drinks linked to brain changes that increase appetite, study finds
The CNN article
“Artificial sweetener found in diet drinks linked to brain changes that increase appetite, study finds” (LaMotte, 2025) summarizes recent research examining the impact of sucralose, a widely used artificial sweetener, on hunger-related brain activity. The article reports that consuming sucralose with carbohydrates may increase food cravings by affecting neural signaling pathways associated with hunger and reward, potentially leading to increased calorie intake.
The peer-reviewed research supporting this media piece is
“Artificial sweetener–carbohydrate uncoupling alters central and peripheral glucose metabolism in humans” by Sylvetsky et al. (2025), published in
Cell Metabolism. The study used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to compare three groups: participants who consumed sucralose with carbohydrates, sucralose alone, or carbohydrates alone. The researchers measured brain responses using functional MRI and analyzed insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Results suggested that the combined intake of sucralose and carbohydrates altered brain activity in regions tied to appetite control and reduced insulin sensitivity.
Epidemiological Concepts in the Media Article
The CNN article touches lightly on epidemiological concepts but lacks clarity in critical areas. While it hints at the RCT study design through mentions of brain scans and structured testing conditions, it omits key methodological details such as sample size, randomization, and control groups—elements essential for evaluating the strength of causality (Friis & Sellers, 2021). It does not provide specific measures of association, such as effect size or confidence intervals, nor does it discuss confounding variables or bias.
In contrast, the peer-reviewed article provides a comprehensive overview of the study design, inclusion/exclusion criteria, statistical analysis, and potential confounding variables. For example, the authors controlled for participants’ baseline diet and BMI to minimize bias. The article also includes tables with p-values and adjusted analyses, facilitating a more accurate interpretation of the results.
Assessment of Media Representation
Although the CNN article succeeds in making the study accessible to a general audience, it oversimplifies the findings and omits key methodological rigor. It presents the study’s findings as more conclusive than warranted by the data, a common issue in mass media health reporting (Hammes et al., 2021). The lack of detailed context may lead readers to overestimate the personal relevance of the findings or to make dietary changes based on incomplete information.
The omission of statistical metrics and the lack of a discussion on confounding variables are particularly concerning, as these are essential for interpreting validity and generalizability (Curley, 2024). Such gaps highlight the limitations of using media reports as stand-alone sources of health information.
Interpreting the Article for a Patient
If a patient brought this article to me, I would first commend them for staying informed about health-related topics. I would then explain that while the study presents intriguing findings, the evidence is preliminary and should be interpreted cautiously. I would emphasize that the study was conducted in a controlled environment with a small sample size and that more extensive research is needed to confirm the findings and their relevance to everyday dietary habits.
I would also explain that not all individuals respond the same way to artificial sweeteners and that nutrition decisions should be based on a comprehensive assessment of health needs. I might use this as an opportunity to educate the patient on how to critically interpret health news and guide them to reputable sources such as
Healthy People 2030 or the
James Lind Library for more detailed and balanced perspectives (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.; James Lind Library, n.d.). Thank you.
References
Curley, A. L. C. (Ed.). (2024).
Population-based nursing: Concepts and competencies for advanced practice (4th ed.). Springer.
Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2021).
Epidemiology for public health practice (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Hammes, L. S., Rossi, A. P., Pedrotti, L. G., Pitrez, P. M., Mutlaq, M. P., & Rosa, R. G. (2021). Is the press properly presenting the epidemiological data on COVID-19? An analysis of newspapers from 25 countries.
Journal of Public Health Policy, 42(3), 359–372.
Links to an external site.
LaMotte, S. (2025, March 29). Artificial sweetener found in diet drinks linked to brain changes that increase appetite, study finds.
CNN.
to an external site.
Sylvetsky, A. C., Rother, K. I., et al. (2025). Artificial sweetener–carbohydrate uncoupling alters central and peripheral glucose metabolism in humans.
Cell Metabolism, 37(3), 455–468.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.).
Healthy People in Action.
to an external site.
James Lind Library. (n.d.).
to an external site.
