title: Study sponsorship and the nutrition research agenda: analysis of randomized controlled trials included in systematic reviews of nutrition interventions to address obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To categorize the research topics covered by a sample of randomized controlled trials (RCT) included in systematic reviews of nutrition interventions to address obesity; to describe their funding sources; and to explore the association between funding sources and nutrition research topics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  RCT included in Cochrane Reviews of nutrition interventions to address obesity and/or overweight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and thirteen RCT from seventeen Cochrane Reviews were included. Funding source and authors' conflicts of interest were disclosed in 82·6 and 29·6 % of the studies, respectively. RCT were more likely to test an intervention to manipulate nutrients in the context of reduced energy intake (44·2 % of studies) than food-level (11·3 %) and dietary pattern-level (0·9 %) interventions. Most of the food industry-sponsored studies focused on interventions involving manipulations of specific nutrients (66·7 %). Only 33·1 % of the industry-funded studies addressed dietary behaviours compared with 66·9 % of the non-industry-funded ones (P=0·002). The level of food processing was poorly considered across all funding sources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The predominance of RCT examining nutrient-specific questions could limit the public health relevance of rigorous evidence available for systematic reviews and dietary guidelines.
authors.affiliation: 1Centre of Research in Medical Pharmacology,University of Insubria,Varese,Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.affiliation: 2Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Pharmacy,The University of Sydney,Camperdown NSW 2006,Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chartres
authors.affiliation: 3Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences,The University of Melbourne,Parkville,VIC,Australia.
authors.forename: Gyorgy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scrinis
authors.affiliation: 2Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Pharmacy,The University of Sydney,Camperdown NSW 2006,Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bero
mesh_terms: D016265:Conflict of Interest; D004032:Diet; D005511:Food Handling; D019649:Food Industry; D006801:Humans; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000178:diet therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design
keywords: Bias; Nutrition intervention; Obesity; Research agenda; Sponsorship