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  • 1.  Fasting and non-fasting cholesterol

    Posted 04-30-2018 08:17
    Dear ASA Colleagues:

    Does anyone have suggestions for references on analyzing longitudinal cholesterol data, in which some people fasted and others did not?  I am wondering whether including an indicator for fasting (1=yes, 0=no) would be considered acceptable or whether fasting and non-fasting need to analyzed separately.  To make matters more complicated, some participants fasted at some times, but not at others.

    The data are LDL, HDL, and Total cholesterol, and triglycerides.  The time range is two years.

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    Regards,
    Brandy R. Sinco
    Statistician and Programmer/Analyst, UM School of Social Work
    Current Projects: 
    Mon, Wed, Fri CHW Integration/REACH; 
    Tues, Thurs  RISE/WCBT


  • 2.  RE: Fasting and non-fasting cholesterol

    Posted 05-01-2018 14:37
    Depends on the objective of the study. If it includes a comparison between fasting an no-fasting I would analyze it as a multi-source regression problem, i.e., add fasting status as a class variable to the analysis. Comparing regression coefficients via a contrast is easy




    In God we trust, all others need to bring data.
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    Edzard van Santen, PhD
    Professor, Agronomy Department
    Director, Statistical Consulting Unit
    Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
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  • 3.  RE: Fasting and non-fasting cholesterol

    Posted 05-01-2018 16:47
    Coming from a PhD in Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Wellness, fasted/non-fasted would be a serious research design issue. Usually human feeding studies have a fasting period prior to the blood draw or prior to a particular food item is consumed so other intake is not confounding results.

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    Jonathan Kurka, PhD
    Senior Research Analyst
    College of Health Solutions
    Arizona State University
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