The current evidence does not demonstrate conclusively that NSB consumption has uniquely contributed to obesity or that reducing NSB consumption will reduce BMI levels in general .
Nutritively sweetened beverages ( NSBs ) may play a role in the obesity epidemic .
Varied Forms of Bias Due to Nondifferential Error in Measuring Exposure
Continuous exposure variables are frequently categorized in epidemiologic data analysis . It has recently been shown that such categorization may transform nondifferential error in measuring continuous exposure variables into differential exposure misclassification . This paper assesses the direction and magnitude of the result ing misclassification bias under a variety of practically relevant forms of nondifferential measurement error . The expected bias of measures of the exposure-disease association is toward the null in the case of purely r and om measurement error with a mean of zero . Systematic nondifferential over- or underestimation of the exposure may bias measures of the exposure-disease association either toward the null or away from the null , depending on the underlying distribution of exposure , the true exposure-disease relation , and the cutpoints employed for categorization . If exposure measurement error has both r and om and systematic components , the direction of the net bias is less predictable than with pure error of either type , but bias toward the null is increasingly likely as the r and om component grows larger . The results indicate the need for careful evaluation of potential effects of nondifferential exposure measurement error in epidemiologic studies in which categories are formed from continuous exposure variables . ( Epidemiology 1994;5:510–517
The current evidence does not demonstrate conclusively that NSB consumption has uniquely contributed to obesity or that reducing NSB consumption will reduce BMI levels in general .
Nutritively sweetened beverages ( NSBs ) may play a role in the obesity epidemic .