Table 3:

Not all students successfully draw conclusions from data. Students were asked to state the conclusions that could be drawn from a primary scientific paper⁽²⁶⁾. The range of replies illustrate that not all students have acquired the skill to base conclusions on data.

What conclusions can we draw from this paper? What are the implications for individuals trying to lose weight?
Rubric	As reported by the authors: ‘One year after initial weight reduction, levels of the circulating mediators of appetite that encourage weight gain after diet induced weight loss do not revert to the levels recorded before weight loss’. This means that weight regain may relate to the increased drive to eat experienced by individuals that have been dieting. The increase in the drive to eat does not subside within one year after dieting. So long-term strategies may be needed to prevent obesity relapse.
Good	After reading the article we can conclude that although weight loss was achieved immediately through the diet, overweight & obese people were not able to maintain that weight loss. This is because alterations in hormones involved with body weight persist for 12 months after weight loss which suggests people relapse for physiological reasons. Effects of weight loss include increased levels of grehlin and decreased levels of peptide YY and cholecystokinin. This makes it much harder for obese people to maintain their weight loss because they are hungry frequently.
Acceptable	Dieting does not have a sustained weight loss but overall does have loss. After it causes people to want to eat more. This is because people are releasing more grehlin and less ‘satiating’ hormones. These hormones cause them to regain weight.
Acceptable	We can conclude that hormones increase even if a diet is enforced causing weight loss to be difficult for the overweight and obese people to reduce weight. These hormones that are reduced due to weight loss do not continue at the same rate and tend to increase instead. If the hormones increase before a year losing weight will be difficult.
Unacceptable	We can draw the conclusion that when dieting the hormone levels in the body do not regulate. This causes less hunger and suppresses the desire to eat. Individuals should change their entire diet for life instead of dieting for a period of time, if they want to lose weight.