My pet peeve it when people cite scholarly research in spite of what logically makes sense. I see this often in initiatives and programs done at the University. And while research is important, it doesn’t mean the findings necessarily hold any truth. Take this study on a link behind child obesity and BPA. The researchers make a very big leap in saying that obesity in children can be linked to BPA levels in their urine. Really? You mean to tell me it’s not all the canned soda (where BPA is present) that is making them fat? It’s the BPA alone? Really?
I think the only reason we are even seeing this research is because of the scare factor related to BPA and children. Other studies have shown that BPA has damaging effects on the healthy development of babies and children. But riding on the coattails of fear and releasing a far-fetched conclusion just adds unnecessary hype. Researchers need to step back and apply common sense sometimes. Just because a study shows a relationship in one group of participants does not mean the study actually holds any weight. Let’s not abandon the value of common sense just yet.