Older people, no matter how well they eat, have more of a fullness hormone in their blood than young people—but that doesn’t explain why some older people eat less.
Scientific Claim
Plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) levels are higher in older women (both well-nourished and undernourished) than in young women, but do not differ between older groups, indicating that elevated CCK is linked to aging rather than nutritional status.
Original Statement
“Before and after the preload, plasma CCK levels were higher (P < 0.05) in the older than young subjects, with no difference between the older groups.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The abstract reports group differences in CCK levels but does not confirm whether these levels were causally linked to intake. The claim implies functional relevance beyond observed data.
More Accurate Statement
“Higher plasma cholecystokinin levels are associated with aging in women, regardless of nutritional status, but this association does not distinguish between well-nourished and undernourished older individuals.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (0)
Contradicting (1)
Even though older women had more CCK than young women, the study says this higher level doesn’t actually cause them to eat less — so the claim that CCK explains aging-related appetite loss is wrong.