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Preobrazenski N, McCaig A, Turner A, Kushner M, Pacitti L, Mendolia P, MacDonald B, Storoschuk K, Bouck T, Zaza Y, Lu S, Gurd BJ. Risk of bias in exercise science: A systematic review of 340 studies. iScience 2024; 27:109010. [PMID: 38405604 PMCID: PMC10884506 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Risk of bias can contribute to irreproducible science and mislead decision making. Analyses of smaller subsections of the exercise science literature suggest many exercise science studies have unclear or high risk of bias. The current review (osf.io/jznv8) assesses whether this unclear or high risk of bias is more widespread in the exercise science literature and whether this bias has decreased since the publication of the 1996 Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. We report significant reductions in selection, performance, detection, and reporting biases in 2020 compared with 1995 in the 340 of 5,451 studies assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Despite these improvements, most 2020 studies still had unclear or high risks of bias. These results underscore the need for methodological vigilance, adherence to reporting standards, and education on experimental bias. Factors contributing to these improvements, such advancements in education and journal requirements, remain uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abby McCaig
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Anna Turner
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Maddy Kushner
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Lauren Pacitti
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Peter Mendolia
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Ben MacDonald
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Kristi Storoschuk
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Tori Bouck
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Youssef Zaza
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Stephanie Lu
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Brendon J. Gurd
- School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
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