title: The food industry and conflicts of interest in nutrition research: A Latin American perspective.
abstract: Conflicts of interest arise when corporations marketing harmful products establish financial relationships with research institutions, researchers, or public health organizations. As obesity becomes a worldwide epidemic, such relationships threaten to jeopardize the integrity of scientific research. Latin America, a region undergoing rapid development, is particularly vulnerable to such conflicts. Here, we provide examples of how food and beverage companies are funding nutrition-focused research and institutions in Latin America, putting their credibility at risk. Public health organizations and institutions should take measures to identify, manage, and limit (or eliminate) conflicts of interest caused by partnerships with food companies making and marketing unhealthful products.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Unidad de Cirugia Cardiovascular de Guatemala, 5a Av 6-22 zona 11, Guatemala, 01011, Guatemala.|Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 S. Euclid Av, St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnoya
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, New York University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nestle
keywords: conflict of interest; food industry; low/middle income countries