Financial Conflicts of Interest and Reporting Bias Regarding the Association between Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews

Ref ID 8
First Author M. Bes-Rastrollo
Journal PLOS MEDICINE
Year Of Publishing 2014
URL https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001578
Keywords Author
Allegiance
Sponsorship bias
Public health
Problem(s) Financial conflicts of interest of review authors
Spin or subjective interpretation of findings
Number of systematic reviews included 17
Summary of Findings 17 systematic reviews (with 18 conclusions) of sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain or obesity were included. In six of the systematic reviews a financial conflict of interest with some food industry was disclosed. Among those reviews without any reported conflict of interest, 83.3% of the conclusions (10/12) were that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption could be a potential risk factor for weight gain. In contrast, the same percentage of conclusions, 83.3% (5/6), of those systematic reviews disclosing some financial conflict of interest with the food industry were that the scientific evidence was insufficient to support a positive association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and weight gain or obesity. Those reviews with conflicts of interest were five times more likely to present a conclusion of no positive association than those without them (relative risk: 5.0, 95% CI: 1.3–19.3).
Did the article find that the problem(s) led to qualitative changes in interpretation of the results? Yes
Are the methods of the article described in enough detail to replicate the study? Yes