Note that it is only an abstract of the study, highlighting the major findings.
Yeah, Glickman is the researcher who produced the "statistics-only" findings, as you call them, having to do with the elevated feeding dish, etc. However, being quite familiar with statistics-based research, sampling issues, causality, etc., etc., I would suggest that Glickman's work is quite sound epidemological stuff. Epidemological research typically relies on explanations based on statistical analysis rather than experimental studies because of practical -- and moral -- reasons. An experimental study of bloat would pretty much mean that they'd have to create bloat in a controlled setting. Do-able, probably, but won't necessarily replicate real-world conditions under which it would occur; a multivariate statistical approach that takes into account (as Glickman's does) a multitude of factors can often provide more useful information. Keep in mind that much medical research on humans is based on the sort of study Glickman et al. have done with bloat. A lot of stuff that turns up in the lab doesn't turn up in the real world & visa-versa.
