![types of studies types of studies](https://sibosurvivor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Types-of-variables-in-scientific-studies.png)
But they also give us higher quality evidence, so they’re an important next step if observational and non-human studies have shown promising results. Intervention studies are more expensive and resource-intensive, so there are fewer of these types of studies conducted. When researchers want to test a new hypothesis, they often start with the study designs at the bottom of the pyramid, such as in vitro, animal, or observational studies. There tend to be more studies published using the methods at the bottom of the pyramid, because they require less time, money, and other resources.
![types of studies types of studies](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/marketing-research-ch32589/95/marketing-research-ch3-18-728.jpg)
The pyramid also represents a few other general ideas. The hierarchy of evidence shows types of research studies relative to their strength of evidence and relevance to real-life nutrition decisions, with the strongest studies at the top and the weakest at the bottom. It can be helpful to think about the types of studies within a pyramid representing a hierarchy of evidence, where the studies at the bottom of the pyramid usually give us the weakest evidence with the least relevance to real-life nutrition decisions, and the studies at the top offer the strongest evidence, with the most relevance to real-life nutrition decisions.
![types of studies types of studies](https://image.slideserve.com/1182479/descriptive-studies1-l.jpg)
The study design affects how we interpret the results and the strength of the evidence as it relates to real-life nutrition decisions. Researchers use many different types of study designs depending on the question they are trying to answer, as well as factors such as time, funding, and ethical considerations. Making sense of science requires that you understand the types of research studies used and their limitations. You might be interested in nutrition research to inform your own eating habits, or if you work in a health profession, so that you can give evidence-based advice to others. This adds to scientific knowledge, but it’s also of great interest to the public, so nutrition research often shows up in the news and other media sources. Nutrition scientists are continuously conducting new research and publishing their findings in peer-reviewed journals. The field of nutrition is dynamic, and our understanding and practices are always evolving.