Odds Ratios: Do most people get them wrong?
From Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics by Regina Nuzzo and Kristin Sainani
June 1, 2026 · 55 min · Episode 32
About this episode
This episode discusses the common misunderstanding of odds ratios in medical research and their implications.
Odds ratios show up everywhere in medical research—but do readers, journalists, and even researchers always know what they mean? In this episode, we tackle one of the most common statistical misunderstandings in science: treating odds ratios like risk ratios. Along the way, we explore puppy photos, fish photos, first-date hookups, sugary drinks, cardiac care, and a listener challenge that started with an informal study of five medical residents and a box of chocolate truffles. We explain why logistic regression produces odds ratios, when odds ratios can wildly exaggerate effects, and why some famous headlines turned out to be much less dramatic than they sounded. Statistical topics binary outcomes case-control studies logistic regression odds ratios risk ratios odds vs risk Methodological morals “Just because logistic regression gives you an odds ratio does not mean you have to report it.” “A lot of bad science communication starts long before the journalist even enters the story.” References Bleich SN, Herring BJ, Flagg DD, et al. Reduction in purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages among low-income Black adolescents after exposure to caloric information . Am J Public Health…
People in this episode
Hosts: Regina Nuzzo, Kristin Sainani
Topics covered
- odds ratios
- risk ratios
- logistic regression
- statistical misunderstandings
- medical research
- science communication
Keywords
- odds ratios
- risk ratios
- logistic regression
- medical research
- science communication
- statistical misunderstandings
- sugary drinks
- cardiac care
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Am J Public Health, YouTube
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