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I guess this is a typical misuse of the average, where we have lots of American women some way below 166 pounds and an equal amount much higher. Similarly, not
by revelation 11y ago
I guess this is a typical misuse of the average, where we have lots of American women some way below 166 pounds and an equal amount much higher.
Similarly, not every American is eating an extra sandwich, just some get two.
- emodendroket 11y agoWhy is this a "misuse" of the average? Is there really proof that there are a handful of outliers distorting the average? The article says 30% of Americans are obese; that alone seems like a large number, even if the other 70% were not heavier than they used to be (which I doubt).
- revelation 11y agoI'm not saying there are outliers that are distorting the average, I'm saying that there are few people that are the average. Hence we can't make decisions based on the value of the average.
- emodendroket 11y agoThat objection doesn't make sense if everyone is moving in the same direction.