Question: Noting marked increases in weight across the population, many researchers, nutritionists, and physicians have struggled to find ways to stem the tide of obesity in many Western countries. A number of exercise programs have been advocated by these clinicians and researchers, and there has been a flurry of research to determine their effectiveness. Pretend that you are in charge of a research program to examine the effects of an exercise program on weight loss in comparison with a no-exercise program.
a. Describe how you could study this exercise program using a between-groups research design.
b. Describe how you could study this exercise program using a within-groups design.
c. What is a potential confound of a within-groups design?