/oss/taxonomy/term/2718/all en /oss/article/health-news/number-needed-treat <p>We all want to be healthy and live as long as possible. So we think about popping vitamin pills, a daily dose of aspirin, eating foods with probiotics and taking statin drugs. And we puzzle over dietary regimes that claim to result in weight loss, lower blood cholesterol and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. All of these are supported by some evidence. But the chances of significant benefit are in general much less than what people think.</p> Wed, 04 Feb 2015 01:08:46 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2234 at /oss