Critical Appraisal of Research Literature: Methods

CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF RESEARCH LITERATUREByInstitution
Critical Appraisal of Research Literature
Randomized controlled trials involve a research study using several subjects randomly selected, to provide results for a specific behaviour against a controlled group. The method of reporting randomized controlled trial is useful for assessing a study dealing with healthcare interventions and requires methodological rigor to avoid bias. According to Schulz, Altman and Moher (2010), readers of these studies require clear and transparent information on the findings and methodologies of these studies, which have to address all the critical areas. Randomization provides significant usefulness in prevention of bias in qualitative studies (Viera & Bangdiwala, 2007). However, there exists several biases that randomization fails to prevent, especially in the execution and analysis of the trials (Toggerson & Toggerson, 2003). The CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement of 2010 provides authors with a checklist of 25 items to ensure the report addresses all pertinent areas (CONSORT, 2010).
Time and Abstract
The authors of Randomized controlled trial of four commercial weight loss programs in the UK: initial findings from the BBC “diet trials” have clearly identified their study as a randomized controlled trial in the given title. The study also contains a brief summary of the study’s objective, design, setting, interventions, outcome measures, results, and conclusions. However, the study lacks a brief description of the methodology as required in the CONSORT 2010 tool. It is important for authors to follow all design procedures to meet quality requirements that the study aims to achieve (Juni, Altman & Eger, 2001). However, the information given by the authors clearly describes their intentions and the results of the trials.
Introduction
The authors gave the intention of their studies reverting to a reported and studied trend in the medical industry where the cost of treating obese people by the National Health Service in the United Kingdom is rising, costing £0.5 billion per year and £2 billion to the economy. Despite the existence of diet trends in the US and UK, conformity to the diet requirements is poor in these countries, with people regaining 50% of their lost weights within a year (Truby et al. 2006). The authors show how the commercial sector has resorted to benefit from this scenario. The Weight Watchers has a million members while the Dr. Atkins New Revolution diet book is a best seller.
The background information given by the authors is shallow and lacking in scientific depth. The study does not cover the real prevalence of the problem (obesity) and the effect it causes to the community in terms of health concern. Additionally, the authors fail to provide the hypotheses for the study though the objective is sufficiently covered. The researchers compared the health outcomes of their participants over six months using four commercial diet programs in the UK namely Slim Fast Plan, Weight Watchers, Dr. Atkin’s New Diet Revolution and Rosemary Conley’s eat yourself diet (Truby et al. 2006).
Methods
The researchers reportedly designed the trial as...