Authors' financial relationships with the food and beverage industry and their published positions on the fat substitute olestra.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the association between authors' published positions on the safety and efficacy in assisting with weight loss of the Procter & Gamble (P&G) fat substitute olestra and their financial relationships with the food and beverage industry.


METHODS
Journal articles about olestra, and their authors, were classified as supportive, critical, or neutral with respect to its use. Authors not known to have industry affiliations were surveyed about their financial relationships.


RESULTS
Supportive authors were significantly more likely than critical or neutral authors to have financial relationships with P&G (80% vs 11% and 21%, respectively; P <.0001). All authors disclosing an affiliation with P&G were supportive.


CONCLUSIONS
Because authors' published opinions were associated with their financial relationships, obtaining noncommercial funding may be more essential to maintaining objectivity than disclosing personal financial interests.
Levine
Jane
J
Kids Can Make A Difference, Kittery Point, ME 03905, USA. jane.levine@attbi.com
Gussow
Joan Dye
JD
Hastings
Diane
D
Eccher
Amy
A
D015706:Bibliometrics; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D030881:Disclosure; D019358:Fat Substitutes / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000145:classification; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000145:classification; D005378:Financial Support / Q000941:ethics*; D019649:Food Industry / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000941:ethics; D015871:Scientific Misconduct; D013395:Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000145:classification; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
D019358:Fat Substitutes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D013395:Sucrose; C013692:sucrose polyester