tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800316528417070757.post6060031967491660794..comments2023-04-28T22:14:09.751+01:00Comments on Random Thoughts: The Shangri-La Diet Needs Our HelpJohn Lawrence Aspdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02587130870181071109noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800316528417070757.post-716431188073597512012-11-25T21:47:22.986+00:002012-11-25T21:47:22.986+00:00I've been occasionally reading your posts with...I've been occasionally reading your posts with interest - well done on explaining Bayesian math to kooky diet-lovers ;)<br /><br />For your randomised trial, I can see an issue : anything that feels like oil will probably contain calories, or be harmful, so people will quickly work out which is oil.<br /><br />I recall you mentioning the use of sugar-water as an alternative to oil. If this is possible, how about using a calorific (but non-sucrose) sugar vs a noncalorific synthetic sweetner? The reason for using non-sucrose is that people won't readily identify e.g. dextrose as "more natural" in taste than a synthetic sweetner.<br /><br />Of course you have the problem that in both cases your mind can associate the taste with calories (or lack thereof), so one possible mechanism for the effect is not being tested. However most of the other mechanics should be testable this way.<br /><br />Also make sure you have long enough runs with each pill type to see any impact - a couple of weeks sounds from your experience like not enough, perhaps two months at a time would be better?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com