RETRACTED ARTICLE: The food industry and conflicts of interest in nutrition research: A Latin American perspective

AbstractObjectiveTo categorize the research topics covered by a sample of cohort studies exploring the association between nutrition and obesity; to describe their funding sources; and to explore the association between funding sources and research topics.DesignCross-sectional study.SubjectsCohort studies retrieved from MEDLINE and PubMed published between 2010 and 2016.ResultsOne hundred and twenty-one studies were included. Funding source and conflicts of interest were disclosed in 95·0 and 90·1 % of the studies, respectively. Food industry sponsorship was disclosed in 8·3 % of the studies. Half of the studies analysed the consumption of a single food or food groups, 18·2 % included an analysis of dietary patterns and 17·4 % focused on specific nutrients. Highly processed foods were considered in 48·8 % of the studies and 27·3 % considered dietary behaviours (e.g. eating away from home). No statistically significant differences in research topics were observed between industry- and non-industry-funded studies.ConclusionsCohort studies focused on more complex exposures (e.g. food or dietary patterns) rather than single nutrients. No significant differences in the research agenda by funding sources were observed. The analysis was limited by the low proportion of studies with disclosed food industry sponsorship.

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Association of industry ties with outcomes of studies examining the effect of wholegrain foods on cardiovascular disease and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022912 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. e022912 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Nicholas Chartres ◽

Alice Fabbri ◽

Sally McDonald ◽

Jessica Turton ◽

Margaret Allman-Farinelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Food Industry ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Industry Sponsorship ◽

Nutrition Research

ObjectiveTo determine if observational studies examining the association of wholegrain foods with cardiovascular disease (CVD) with food industry sponsorship and/or authors with conflicts of interest (COI) with the food industry are more likely to have results and/or conclusions that are favourable to industry than those with no industry ties, and to determine whether studies with industry ties differ in their risk of bias compared with studies with no industry ties.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.Data sourcesWe searched eight databases from 1997 to 2017 and hand searched the reference lists of included studies.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesCohort and case–control studies that quantitatively examined the association of wholegrains or wholegrain foods with CVD outcomes in healthy adults or children.Results21 of the 22 studies had a serious or critical risk of bias. Studies with industry ties more often had favourable results compared with those with no industry ties, but the Confidence Interval (CI) was wide, Risk Ratio (RR)=1.44 (95% CI 0.88 to 2.35). The same association was found for study conclusions. We did not find a difference in effect size (magnitude of RRs) between studies with industry ties, RR=0.77 (95% CI 0.58 to 1.01) and studies with no industry ties, RR=0.85 (95% CI 0.73 to 1.00) (p=0.50) I20%. These results were comparable for studies that measured the magnitude using Hazard Ratios (HR); industry ties HR=0.82 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.88) versus no industry ties HR=0.86 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.91) (p=0.34) I20%.ConclusionsWe did not establish that the presence of food industry sponsorship or authors with a COI with the food industry was associated with results or conclusions that favour industry sponsors. The association of food industry sponsorship or authors with a COI with the food industry and favourable results or conclusions is uncertain. However, our analysis was hindered by the low level of COI disclosure in the included studies. Our findings support international reforms to improve the disclosure and management of COI in nutrition research. Without such disclosures, it will not be possible to determine if the results of nutrition research are free of food industry influences and potential biases.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42017055841.

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Conflict of Laws and the Return of Indigenous Peoples’ Cultural Property: A Latin American Perspective

International Journal of Cultural Property ◽

10.1017/s0940739119000341 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 437-456

Author(s):

María Julia Ochoa Jiménez

Keyword(s):

Human Rights ◽

Indigenous Peoples ◽

Latin American ◽

National Level ◽

Cultural Property ◽

Cultural Value ◽

Property A ◽

American Perspective ◽

International Instruments ◽

Conflict Of Law

Abstract:In Latin America, conflict-of-law norms have not appropriately considered the cultural diversity that exists in their legal systems. However, developments towards the recognition of Indigenous peoples’ human rights, at the international and national levels, impose the task of considering such diversity. In that regard, within the conflict-of-law realm, interpersonal law offers a useful perspective. This article proposes a conflict-of-law rule that can contribute to clarity and legal certainty, offering a sound way of dealing at the national level with Indigenous peoples’ claims for restitution of property with a cultural value for them, which is framed in international instruments on human rights.

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