A weight loss program provides three follow-up methods to choose from for individuals who went through the program and reached t
heir desired weight monthly in person meeting monthly on line meeting and monthly newsletter by mail. In order to assess the effectiveness of the three follow-up methods, the program selects a random sample of 291 individuals who went through the program and reached their desired weight and classifies them according to the follow-up method that they sign-up for. A year later the study finds that 30% of those who chose to sign up for the in person follow-up method regained more than 5 pounds, son of those who chose to sign up for the online method regained more than 5 pounds and 70% of those who chose to sign up for the newsletter method regained more than 5 pounds Which of the following is the correct design of this study?
a. An observational study
b. A randomized response study
c. A randomized experiment
d. A randomized observational study
e. A blind observational study
An observational study is a study that has to do with the observation of individuals involved in the study. In such a study, zero effort is put to change the outcome.
This question tells us that the random sample of 291 individuals that underwent the weight loss program would go through a system of follow up to find out the change in weight. Therefore the design of the study is clearly an observational study.
