HHSC

278/230 Loyola Marymount University Swift

Name: Tim Toole

Name: Nathan Faust

Nutrition Information Literacy Project Questionnaire
Together with your partner, submit one thorough, comprehensive questionnaire. TYPE
directly into this document, hand written assignments will not be accepted. Answers will
be graded for depth of analysis and full credit will be awarded for thorough answers. All
responses should be in your own words, please paraphrase your work as direct quotes
from the article are not acceptable. In addition, SUBMIT THE TWO ARTICLES and this
completed questionnaire in the ILP-Part B folder on Brightspace.
(2) 1. Why did you choose this topic and how is it relevant or why is it important to you?
We chose this topic because, as college students, a culture of drinking
permeates our everyday lives. Many people take the luxury of having a young
body for granted, not realizing that they are, in fact, cashing in a lottery ticket
without winning number. Through this article, we were able to assertain
informaton relevant to our and our friends' daily lives.
Popular Article:
(1) 2. What is the title of the article?
Drinking More Than Three Times a Week May Harm Your Health, Study Says
(1) 3. What is the source of the popular article (i.e. publication source) and when was it
published?
Time Magazine, 2018
(1) 4. Is this a primary source or secondary source? How do you know?
It is a secondary source, as it references research done by the National Institutue
of Health.
(2) 5. Who is the intended audience for this article? What aspect(s) of the article make
this evident?
The intended audience is the health-conscious consumer who believes it is
pertinent to know what they are putting into their bodies. This is evident through
colloquial language, a conversational tone, and not very many scientific phrases.
(1) 6. List any subheadings or sections of the article. If there are no subheadings for your
article, give a very brief phrase to describe the content presented in each paragraph
(i.e. introduction, background, comparison of…. Etc.).
1. Decades-old advice about alcohol is contradicted through recent studies.
2. Interview with Sarah Hartz, an assistant professor at Washington University
School of Medicine in St. Louis, about the findings.
3. Backgrounds and statistics about the tested subjects.
4. The individual risks of drinking.
(2) 7. What is the popular press author’s main argument or thesis in this article? (What is
the article about?)
The main argument is that drinking more than three times a week, contrary to
historical beliefs, can actually harm your health.
HHSC 278/230 Loyola Marymount University Swift

(3) 8. Which experts or references does the author use to support his/her thesis? Are
these sources credible? Why or why not? (Identify each reference/expert individually
and explain.)
1. Sarah Hartz, an assistant professor at Washington University School of
Medicine in St. Louis. This source is credible, as she is a professor os psychiatry
at an acreditied institution.
2. The Veteran's Health Administration, a credible source, as it is a national
database of all US Veterans, monitored by the US Government, looking into their
health and wellbeing.
3. The National Health Institution, the Government body interested in the overall
health of United States citizens.
(2) 9. Summarize in your own words the conclusions/recommendations of the article. If
none are provided, what would you conclude or recommend to others after reading
this article?
The conclusion is that having more than three drinks a week may harm your
health.
(2) 10. Is there any potential bias presented in the article (if so, give specific examples and
explain why you think it may represent bias)?
No, Time Magazine provides an objective reflection of the scientific article.

Scientific Article:
(1) 11. What is the title of the article?
Daily Drinking Is Associated with Increased Mortality
(1) 12. What is the source (i.e. journal publication) for the scientific article and when was
it published?
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
(1) 13. Is this a primary source or secondary source? How do you know?
This is a primary source, as it directly reprots the findings of the authors
(scientists listed above)
(2) 14. Who is the intended audience for this article? What aspect(s) of the article make
this evident?
Working-age adults in the United States who are concerned with their drinking
habits; this is made apparent by the journal's title and subjects themselves, as
well as the thoroughly researched facts presented to the reader.
(2) 15. What are the credentials of the lead author and with which
organization/institution(s) are they associated? What does this information suggest
about the author’s credibility?
Dr. Sarah M. Hartz, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr.
Hartz is a doctor of Psychiatry, meaning that she knows what she's about.
(1) 16. List any subheadings or sections of the article.
1. Background
2. Materials and Methods
3. NHIS' Data
3a. Coding of Alcohol Use
3b. Outcomes
HHSC 278/230 Loyola Marymount University Swift

3c. Covariates
3d. Data Analysis
4. Venerans' Health Administration Data
4a. Coding of Alcohol Use
4b. Outcomes
4c. Covariates
4d. Data Analysis
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Funding
8. References
(2) 17. What is the study objective or study aim? (Describe in your own words)
The study's objective is to analyze the outcome of daily drinking among working-
age adults in the United States, effectively looking into whether or not frequent
alcohol consumption shows an increase in mortality rates.
(2) 18. Summarize the conclusions (the primary findings) of the study in your own words.
The study shows a correlation between frequent drinking and increased mortality
rates. Daily drinking, even at recommended levels, can be detrimental to one's
health. The study says that drinking one to two drinks per week can help with
cardiovascular diseases, but increases cancer mortalitiy rates.
(3) 19. Highlight the information on limitations (or weaknesses) in the scientific article
and note the page number here: 6,6,4.

What do the authors mention as limitations of the study? (Explain for full credit). If
your article does not mention limitations, you should identify and explain at least
three ways the study design or approach could be improved. 1. Results were tainted
through sex disparity, as well as partiicpants of both sexes having pre-existing
cardiovascular conditions.
2. Smoking behavior is confounded with alcohol use and increases the risk of
mortality.
3. We were not able to examine cardiovascular mortality or cancer mortality
because cause of death was not avaliable.

(2) 20. Is there a funding source identified and who is it? How might this funding source
influence the conclusions of the study?
The National Institute of Health. The National Institute of Health is charged with
maintaining propoer health statuses of American citizens and insituting a
comprehensive guideline for living. This study contributes to extending the
lifetimes of citizens.

Comparison:
(3) 21. How are the two articles similar? Give 3 specific examples.
1. The two articles btoh cite the same statistics and research from the results of
the journal article.
HHSC 278/230 Loyola Marymount University Swift

2. Both articles are intended to be viewed as a resource for the general public.
3. Both articles serve as warning to inform citizens that their health can be
compromised through daily, moderate alcohol consumption.
(3) 22. How are the two articles different? Give 3 specific examples.
1. The article in Time magazine is intended for quick, accesible readership, while
the article in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research is intended for
those who wish to dive deeper into the statistics.
2. The Time article fails to discuss the nuances of cancer, smoking, and
cardiovascular risks associated with daily to moderate drinking.
3. The Time article quotes specific facets of the study without giving the broad,
overall context of the research, pulling specific quotes to further prove their point.
(2) 23. What additional information do you think should have been included in the
popular article and why?
As stated above, the Time article fails to discuss the nuances of cancer, smoking,
and cardiovascular risks associated with daily to moderate drinking. These
pieces of additonal information are detrimental to the bodily reactions of those
reading the article who also drink, and would experience a different effect than
those in the control sample.
(2) 24. What additional information do you think should have been included in the
scientific article and why?
The scientific article should have included a direct recommendation to the levels
at which daily drinkers could safely consume alcohol without facing any adverse
effects.
(3) 25. Are the recommendations from the popular article reasonable or overstated given
the findings from the scientific article? Why or why not?
These findings are reasonable, as they speak to the dangers associated with
drinking daily, however not all of the context is given, although the result would
be similair.
(3) 26. Which of the two articles would you recommend if someone asked you for
information on this topic and why?
The Time article, as it relays information in an easy to comprehend manor, and
conveys a direct recommendation for an appropriate amount of daily drinking.