Chapter 12: Q. 17 (page 802)

Women who are severely overweight suffer enormous social and economic consequences, a new study has shown. They are $20 %$ less likely to marry, they have household incomes that are an average of $$ 6710$ lower, and they are $10 %$ more likely to live in poverty. The findings are from an eight-year observational study of $10, 039$ randomly selected women who were $16$ to $24$ years old when the research began. Does this study give strong evidence that being severely overweight causes a woman to have a lower income?
(a) Yes. The study included both women who were severely overweight and women who were not. (b) Yes. The subjects in the study were selected at random.
(c) No. The study showed that there is no connection between income and being severely overweight.
(d) No. The study suggests an association between income and being severely overweight, but we can’t draw a cause-and-effect conclusion.
(e) There is not enough information to answer this question.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Option (d) is correct.

No. The study suggests an association between income and being severely overweight, but we can’t draw a cause-and-effect conclusion.

Step by step solution

Given information

We have been given that the data of eight-year observational study of women in the age of $16$ to $24$ who are severely overweight and suffer enormous social and economic consequences. It is given that they are $20 %$ less likely to marry, they have household incomes that are an average of $$ 6710$ lower, and they are $10 %$ more likely to live in poverty.

We need to choose one option given in question to find that whether this study give strong evidence that being severely overweight causes a women to have a lower income or not.

Explanation

Option (d) is correct.

We have observed that there may be an association between income and being severely overweight, but we can't draw a definite cause-and-effect conclusion.

Because this is an eight-year observational study and not an experiment ( any treatment was not imposed ), so we cannot give conclusion of this fact.