Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Peters, Stephan
• Verhagen, Hans

Titel

Coming from opposite parts of the spectrum of interpreting studies about Nutri-Score: Suggestion of publication bias cannot be denied

Ist Teil von

• PharmaNutrition, 2024-06, Vol.28

Ort / Verlag

Elsevier B.V

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The front-of-pack label Nutri-Score is currently proposed as the system of choice in seven EU countries. However, there is still much scientific debate about the validation and efficacy of Nutri-Score and there is much discussion about author affiliation and study outcome. Recently we published our paper: Nutri-Score and publication bias: A complete literature review of the substantiation of the effectiveness of the front-of-pack logo Nutri-Score Peters & Verhagen, PharmaNutrition 27 C (2024) 100380. This paper received a commentary paper by the developers of Nutri-Score: M. Touvier et al., 2024 “Rebuttal to the paper published by S. Peters and H. Verhagen”. We herewith provide an invited commentary to that rebuttal paper, which further supports the observed publication bias. In this response to the rebuttal, we primarily respond on the scientific issues raised in the rebuttal and explain more about our alleged conflict of interest and our motivation to write the paper. Moreover, we basically thank the authors of the rebuttal paper for, perhaps ironically but essentially, confirming our analysis: there is a publication bias versus affiliation. Overall, the available evidence is clearly limited and biased, and more research is needed to substantiate or disprove the effectiveness of Nutri-Score. [Display omitted] •We published recently on the validation and efficacy of Nutri-Score and found a large publication bias.•The large majority of studies that support Nutri-Score are carried out by the developers of Nutri-Score.•The majority of studies that are carried out independently from the developers of Nutri-Score showed unfavourable results.•There is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of Nutri-Score as an effective public health tool.•Authors connected to the developers of Nutri-Score confirm our analysis: there is a publication bias vs. affiliation.