A research team is looking into the relationship between BMI and blood pressure in a random sample of youngsters aged 12 to 16. Following data collection, they do a correlation analysis at a 1% significance level. The researchers discover that BMI has a r = 0.46 (p 0.001) correlation with systolic blood pressure and a r = 0.37 (p 0.001) correlation with diastolic blood pressure. Which of the following interpretations of these results is most accurate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: The correlation coefficient (r) quantifies the intensity and direction of a linear relationship (ie, association) between two variables (that are usually quantitative).
When r = 0, the linear relationship is negative, and one variable rises while the other falls; when r > 0, the linear relationship is positive, and both variables rise and fall together.
Strength: A linear relationship is strong when r values are close to 1 or 1; a linear relationship is weak when r values are close to 0.
A correlation study determines whether or not two variables have a linear connection. A p-value less than a certain significance level implies that the variables have a statistically significant linear relationship. The correlation coefficient (r) measures the direction and strength of a linear relationship (ie, association) between 2 variables (that are usually quantitative).
   However, a statistically significant linear relationship result does not imply that the relationship is causal (correlation doesn't equal causation) because when 2 variables are correlated, it does not necessarily mean that one is directly causing the other to change

A Research Team Is Looking into the Relationship Between BMI