Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2003 Apr;93(4):664-9.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.93.4.664.

Authors' financial relationships with the food and beverage industry and their published positions on the fat substitute olestra

Jane Levine  1 , Joan Dye Gussow, Diane Hastings, Amy Eccher
Affiliations

Authors' financial relationships with the food and beverage industry and their published positions on the fat substitute olestra

Jane Levine et al. Am J Public Health. 2003 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the association between authors' published positions on the safety and efficacy in assisting with weight loss of the Procter & Gamble (P&G) fat substitute olestra and their financial relationships with the food and beverage industry.

Methods: Journal articles about olestra, and their authors, were classified as supportive, critical, or neutral with respect to its use. Authors not known to have industry affiliations were surveyed about their financial relationships.

Results: Supportive authors were significantly more likely than critical or neutral authors to have financial relationships with P&G (80% vs 11% and 21%, respectively; P <.0001). All authors disclosing an affiliation with P&G were supportive.

Conclusions: Because authors' published opinions were associated with their financial relationships, obtaining noncommercial funding may be more essential to maintaining objectivity than disclosing personal financial interests.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Food and Drug Administration. FDA approves fat substitute, olestra [press release]. HHS News. January 24, 1996.
    1. Spiro HM. Fat, foreboding, and flatulence. Ann Intern Med. 1999;130:320–322. - PubMed
    1. Thomson ABR, Hunt RH, Zorich NL. Review article: olestra and its gastrointestinal safety. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1998;12:1185–1200. - PubMed
    1. Jacobson MF, Brown MA, Whorton EB Jr. Gastrointestinal symptoms following olestra consumption [letter]. JAMA. 1998;280:325–327. - PubMed
    1. Burros M. Selling olestra despite experts’ doubts. New York Times. February 25, 1998:C2.

Publication types

MeSH terms