Question

There is a positive correlation (r=0.9471) between the per capita cheese consumption and the number of people who died by becoming tangled in their bedsheets. Does this mean that the eating of cheese is directly correlated to someone dying by becoming tangled in their bedsheets or could something else be happening?

Answer 1

Answer:

Correlation does not mean causation. When two variables are found to be correlated, it is not correct to conclude one variable causes the other.

Here, the two variables are:

(i) per capita cheese consumption

(ii) the number of people who died by becoming tangled in their bed sheets.

• From this, we cannot conclude that per capita cheese consumption causes the number of people who died by becoming tangled to their bedsheets.
• The reason for the high correlation between there two variables is that:Both these two variables are correlated to a confounding variable.
• Here, the confounding variable is increased unhealthy saturated fat and calories and may cause heart disease.a