How can a proposed Cochrane diet and nutrition field work effectively?

Abstract

The Cochrane Database currently provides relatively little evidence-based guidance about nutrition relevant to general practitioners. This situation could be improved by the establishment of a new Cochrane Field to identify relevant studies, prioritize topics to include nutrition, work with Cochrane methodologists on the inclusion of observational studies, and disseminate results of Cochrane reviews to general practitioners and their patients. A Diet and Nutrition Field could be established as a separate entity or as a Subgroup of the existing Primary Health Care (PHC) Field. The Field would be appropriate if the intent is to immediately cover nutritional interventions of all sorts, in all settings. However, if the focus is nutritional evidence for use by primary care clinicians, organization as a subField would provide a simpler registration process, allow Cochrane activities to begin sooner, and would allow members to focus on primary-care-relevant nutritional issues, conserving their resources and energy. A mechanism exists for conversion to a freestanding Field if the scope later expands. Of the core Field functions, identification and assembly of relevant trials into a specialized register would be among the most important. Special registers are generated by focused literature searches augmented by hand-searching of key journals. Given the importance of studies with observational designs, a nutrition field register will require some additional work on search strategies and inclusion criteria. Other key functions would include ensuring effective communication both with members of other Cochrane entities and with the scientific and clinical community with interests in diet and nutrition.