Mixed
Systematic reviews on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and weight gain that disclose financial conflicts of interest with food or beverage industries are five times more likely to conclude there is no positive association between SSB consumption and weight gain compared to reviews without such conflicts.
When evaluating health advice about sugary drinks, check who funded the research. If the study or review was funded by a beverage or food company, be skeptical of conclusions that claim these drinks do not contribute to weight gain. Independent research is more likely to find a link between SSB consumption and weight gain.
Those reviews with conflicts of interest were five times more likely to present a conclusion of no positive association than those without them (relative risk: 5.0, 95% CI: 1.3–19.3).
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review of 17 systematic reviews with blinded assessment, though limited by the small number of industry-funded reviews.
Source
Financial Conflicts of Interest and Reporting Bias Regarding the Association between Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews
Maira Bes‐Rastrollo et al. · PLoS Medicine · 2013
DOI 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001578
Related findings · Mixed
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