Health Headline Hyperbole: I’m so tired edition.
Here’s the headline from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix:
Exhaustion can lead to obesity: study
What’s the problem? The co-author of the study is quoted in the article as saying
But it’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg dilemma, Steven says. It could be “reverse causality,” meaning the extra weight could be causing exhaustion. But understanding the link could lead to better targeted treatments to reduce vital exhaustion, prevent future weight gain and improve weight loss interventions.
Once again, the headline writer didn’t read the entire article although, to be fair, the author of the article did overemphasize the cause-effect relationship that she inferred and buried the “chicken-egg” quote two-thirds of the way through.
Wonder if I could get a job with the StarPhoenix writing headlines?
Hi,
just wanted to invite you over to my site at http://www.drunkdreamer8.wordpress.com intresting blog.
C. Apana
This is true that the extra weight could cause exhaustion. But understanding the link could lead to better targeted treatments to reduce vital exhaustion, prevent future weight gain and improve weight loss interventions.
Sure. I agree that the study itself could be useful. However, it didn’t warrant an article in the newspaper and the headline was wrong.