Question

Lactation promotes a temporary loss of bone mass to provide adequate amounts of calcium for milk production. The paper “Bone Mass Is Recovered from Lactation to Postweaning in Adolescent Mothers with Low Calcium Intakes” gave the following data on total body bone mineral content (TBBMC) (g) for a sample both during lactation (L) and in the postweaning period (P):

                Subject                 L                              P

                1                              1928                       2126      

                2                              2549                       2885

                3                              2825                       2895

                4                              1924                       1942

                5                              1628                       1750

                6                              2175                       2184

                7                              2114                       2164

                8                              2621                       2626

                9                              1843                       2006

                10                           2541                       2627

Estimate the difference between true average TBBMC for the two periods of concrete in a way that conveys information about precision and reliability. Does it appear plausible that the true average TBBMCs for the two periods are identical?

Answer 1

Let us denote the difference

d = TBBMC during lactation (L) - TBBMC during postweaning period (P)

Conclusion in problem context :

There is sufficient evidence to support the claim that the true average TBBMCs for the two periods are identical.