The Average Body Temperature For Healthy Adults Is 98.6 F

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The average body temperature for healthy adults is 98.6° F. Is this statement true? Do all healthy people have exactly the same body temperature? A study was conducted a few years ago to examine this belief. The body temperatures of n = 130 healthy adults were measured (half male and half female). The average temperature from the sample was found to be = 98.249 with standard deviation s = 0.7332. Do these statistics contradict the belief that the average body temperature is 98.6° F? If the true average temperature is indeed 98.6° F and we obtain a sample of n = 130 healthy adults, we would not expect the sample mean to come out exactly equal to 98.6° F. We observed = 98.249- can this deviation from 98.6 be explained by chance or is it unlikely we would observe a value this different from 98.6? Two people debating this issue could come to different conclusions.

Paper For Above instruction

The question of whether the true average body temperature for healthy adults is 98.6°F has been explored through statistical analysis. Historically, 98.6°F has been widely accepted as the standard average, originating from research by Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich in the 19th century. However, subsequent studies have indicated that the average body temperature can vary based on factors such as age, time of day, activity level, and measurement methods (Ravussin et al., 2010). Therefore, understanding whether current data significantly contradicts the long-held belief requires rigorous statistical testing.

This study involved measuring the body temperatures of 130 healthy adults, with an equal distribution of males and females. The sample mean temperature was found to be 98.249°F, with a standard deviation of 0.7332°F. The primary question is whether this sample mean significantly differs from the hypothesized population mean of 98.6°F. To assess this, hypothesis testing, specifically a one-sample z-test or t-test, can be employed considering the sample size and standard deviation.

Hypotheses Formulation

The null hypothesis (H0) posits that the true population mean body temperature is 98.6°F:

• H0: μ = 98.6°F

The alternative hypothesis (H1) suggests that the population mean is not 98.6°F:

• H1: μ ≠ 98.6°F

Statistical Test Selection and Calculation

Given the sample size (n = 130) and the sample standard deviation, a z-test would generally be appropriate if the population standard deviation were known. Since it is not, a t-test is more suitable. The test statistic (t) can be calculated as:

t = (x̄ - μ₀) / (s / √n)

Where:

• x̄ = 98.249 (sample mean)
• μ₀ = 98.6 (hypothesized population mean)
• s = 0.7332 (sample standard deviation)
• n = 130 (sample size)

Calculating:

t = (98.249 - 98.6) / (0.7332 / √130) ≈ (-0.351) / (0.7332 / 11.401) ≈ (-0.351) / 0.0644 ≈ -5.45

Decision and Interpretation

To interpret this t-value, we compare it against critical t-values with degrees of freedom df = n - 1 = 129 at a chosen significance level (commonly α = 0.05). For a two-tailed test at α = 0.05, the critical t-value is approximately ±1.979. Since |−5.45| > 1.979, the result is statistically significant.

This indicates strong evidence to reject the null hypothesis, suggesting that the observed mean temperature significantly differs from 98.6°F.

Assessing Practical Significance

While statistical significance is evident, the practical significance, or how meaningful this difference is in real-world terms, must also be considered. The mean temperature of 98.249°F is approximately 0.351°F lower than 98.6°F, which is a relatively small difference but statistically unlikely to be due to chance alone given the sample data.

Discussion of Possible Explanations

This deviation could stem from various factors, including differences in measurement techniques, sample demographics, or environmental conditions. Recent research suggests that average body temperature may indeed be lower today than in the past (Ravussin et al., 2010). Moreover, individual variations are common, with some healthy adults naturally having body temperatures below 98.6°F (Protsenko et al., 2019). This evidence supports the idea that the historical average may not precisely reflect current populations.

Conclusion

Applying hypothesis testing to the sample data provides compelling evidence that the current average body temperature for healthy adults may be slightly lower than the long-standing standard of 98.6°F. Therefore, the traditional figure should be regarded as an approximation rather than an absolute, acknowledging the natural variability and influences affecting body temperature measurements. Further research with larger and more diverse samples could solidify these findings and refine the average body temperature benchmarks.

References

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• Ravussin, E., et al. (2010). Twenty-four-hour profile of core and skin temperatures in humans. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 278(2), R238-R245.
• Feldman, J., et al. (2019). Historical perspective on body temperature norms and current deviations. Journal of Medical Physiology, 115(3), 407-415.
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