Low-energy Sweeteners and Body Weight: a Citation Network Analysis

Overview

Journal BMJ Nutr Prev Health

Date 2021 Jul 26

PMID 34308140

Citations 8

Authors

Mie Normand

Christian Ritz

David Mela

Anne Raben

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Reviews on the relationship of low-energy sweeteners (LES) with body weight (BW) have reached widely differing conclusions. To assess possible citation bias, citation analysis was used to quantify the relevant characteristics of cited articles, and explore citation patterns in relation to review conclusions.

Design: A systematic search identified reviews published from January 2010 to March 2020. Different characteristics (for example, type of review or research, journal impact factor, conclusions) were extracted from the reviews and cited articles. Logistic regression was used to estimate likelihood of articles with particular characteristics being cited in reviews. A qualitative network analysis linked reviews sub-grouped by conclusions with the types of articles they cited.

Main Outcome Measures: (OR; 95% CI) for likelihood that articles with particular characteristics were cited as evidence in reviews.

Results: From 33 reviews identified, 183 different articles were cited (including other reviews). Narrative reviews were 62% less likely to be cited than systematic reviews with meta-analysis (OR 0.38; 0.16 to 0.86; p=0.03). Likelihood of being cited was higher for evidence on children than adults (OR 2.27; 1.59 to 3.25; p<0.0001), and with increased journal impact factor (OR 1.15; 1.00 to 1.31; p=0.04). No other factors were statistically significant in the main analysis, and few factors were significant in subgroup analyses. Network analysis showed that reviews concluding a beneficial relationship of LES with BW cited mainly randomised controlled trials, whereas reviews concluding an adverse relationship cited mainly observational studies.

Conclusions: Overall reference to the available evidence across reviews appears largely arbitrary, making citation bias likely. Differences in the conclusions of individual reviews map onto different types of evidence cited. Overall, inconsistent and selective use of the available evidence may account for the diversity of conclusions in reviews on LES and BW.

Trial Registration Number: Prior to data analysis, the protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/9ghws).

Citing Articles

An Overview of Reviews on the Association of Low Calorie Sweetener Consumption With Body Weight and Adiposity.

Higgins K, Rawal R, Kramer M, Baer D, Yerke A, Klurfeld D Adv Nutr. 2024; 15(12):100239.

PMID: 39214718 PMC: 11705604. DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100239.

Conflicts of Interest in Nutrition: Categorical Thinking and the Stigma of Commercial Collaboration.

Mela D Curr Dev Nutr. 2024; 8(8):104413.

PMID: 39188770 PMC: 11345500. DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104413.

Non-nutritive sweetened beverages versus water after a 52-week weight management programme: a randomised controlled trial.

Harrold J, Hill S, Radu C, Thomas P, Thorp P, Hardman C Int J Obes (Lond). 2023; 48(1):83-93.

PMID: 37794246 PMC: 10746539. DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01393-3.

Effect of Non- and Low-Caloric Sweeteners on Substrate Oxidation, Energy Expenditure, and Catecholamines in Humans-A Systematic Review.

Andersen S, Zhu R, Kjolbaek L, Raben A Nutrients. 2023; 15(12).

PMID: 37375615 PMC: 10302323. DOI: 10.3390/nu15122711.

Identifying Plasma and Urinary Biomarkers of Fermented Food Intake and Their Associations with Cardiometabolic Health in a Dutch Observational Cohort.

Li K, Burton-Pimentel K, Brouwer-Brolsma E, Blaser C, Badertscher R, Pimentel G J Agric Food Chem. 2023; 71(10):4426-4439.

PMID: 36853956 PMC: 10021015. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c05669.

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