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The Cochrane Library: nutrition relevant reviews are there if you look for them!

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, page 813 (2006)Cite this article

Summerbell and co-workers suggest that The Cochrane Collaboration may not be focusing sufficiently on nutrition-relevant reviews. They are concerned that ‘nutritionists are not left behind in the move towards the evidence based approach’ (Summerbell et al., 2005). On the basis of what appears to have been a detailed examination of The Cochrane Library they come to the finding that ‘very little is generated by the Heart, Stroke and Hypertension Groups’ and list a total of only two completed reviews, three protocols and three registered titles for these three groups.

The true situation is rather different and may reflect a methodological problem in the search strategy adopted. The Cochrane Heart Group has a total of six completed reviews, five protocols and two titles; the Hypertension Group has four completed reviews, and four protocols; the Stroke Group has one completed review and one protocol but by agreement, the Heart Group takes the lead on primary prevention interventions. The Peripheral Vascular Disease group has four completed reviews. Intriguingly two reviews, conducted by Summerbell herself, have been published on The Cochrane Library by the Heart Group but are not mentioned in her review (Table 1).

Table 1 Cochrane nutrition-related reviews/protocols for the Heart Group, Hypertension Group, Stroke Group and Peripheral Vascular Disease Group (registered in, or prior to, January 2004)
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References

  • Summerbell CD, Chinnock P, O'Malley C, van Binsbergen JJ (2005). The Cochrane Library: more systematic reviews on nutrition needed. Eu J Clin Nutr 59 (Suppl 1), S172–S178.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Cochrane Heart Group, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK

    S Ebrahim

  2. Department of Social Medicine, Cochrane Heart Group, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    M Burke & T Moore

  3. University of Edinburgh Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Cochrane Stroke Group, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK

    P Sandercock

Authors
  1. S Ebrahim
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  2. M Burke
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  3. T Moore
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  4. P Sandercock
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Ebrahim, S., Burke, M., Moore, T. et al. The Cochrane Library: nutrition relevant reviews are there if you look for them!. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 813 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602376

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