title: Authors' financial relationships with the food and beverage industry and their published positions on the fat substitute olestra.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Kids Can Make A Difference, Kittery Point, ME 03905, USA. jane.levine@attbi.com
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Joan Dye
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gussow
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hastings
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eccher
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D019358:Fat Substitutes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D013395:Sucrose; C013692:sucrose polyester