Misuse of statistics?

Question

How can statistics be misused? If possible could you relate your answer to health? This information is to help me with my college work, thanks!

Answer 1

Farmers that grow soy beans or any other food item could manipulate statitics to show how good their produce is for you health (or to downplay negatives to your health). Pharmacetical companies could do the same, to promote medications and downplay any side effects, so more people would take medicines they sell.

Answer 2

well, there is always biased studies. such as a pharm company wants to show the effectiveness of their product, so they enlist the help of an "outside" company to do a research study, even though the study is being funded by the pharm co. so they "expect" certain results....get my drift??

also, there is just plain viewing statistics without the environment.
for example:
-i can state that in a town of 500 people there is a 90% rate of working mothers in the military households. does this mean that it's mostly military moms that work?? no, b/c i failed to state that the town is 90% military. so, really the statistics can be average, but if you leave out pertinent information, then they seem different.

hope this helps!