Hair Pluckability as a Method of Nutritional Assessment
Author Information
Author(s): Wyness Laura A, McNeill Geraldine, Prescott Gordon J
Primary Institution: University of Aberdeen
Hypothesis
Is hair pluckability a reliable method for assessing nutritional status?
Conclusion
Hair pluckability does not appear to be a reliable method for assessing adult nutritional status due to significant measurement variation.
Supporting Evidence
- Mean hair pluckability measurements varied significantly between observers.
- Significant variation in hair pluckability was found between participants.
- Age was the only patient characteristic that had a non-consistent effect on hair pluckability.
Takeaway
This study looked at how easy it is to pull out hair to see if it can tell us about someone's nutrition, but it found that the results can vary a lot.
Methodology
Three observers plucked hair from twelve participants to assess reliability and the effect of patient characteristics on hair pluckability.
Potential Biases
Observer variation could affect the reliability of the measurements.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and may not be generalizable to a larger population.
Participant Demographics
12 participants, 7 female, 7 white British, 5 white non-British, mean age 35.3 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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