Evidence mapping: methodologic foundations and application to intervention and observational research on sugar-sweetened beverages and health outcomes

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 98; no. 3; pp. 755 - 768
• Main Authors: Althuis, Michelle D, Weed, Douglas L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Clinical Nutrition 01-09-2013; American Society for Nutrition; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: Beverages; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; clinical nutrition; cohort studies; Coronary Disease - etiology; Coronary Disease - prevention & control; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - prevention & control; Diet; Dietary Sucrose - adverse effects; Dietary Sucrose - pharmacology; Epidemiologic Methods; Epidemiologic Studies; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; heart; Humans; longitudinal studies; Meta-analysis; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Metabolic Diseases - etiology; Metabolic Diseases - prevention & control; metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - etiology; Metabolic Syndrome - prevention & control; noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; Nutrition research; Obesity; Obesity - etiology; Obesity - prevention & control; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Qualitative Research; Research Design; Review Literature as Topic; Stroke - chemically induced; Stroke - prevention & control; Sugar; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Prognosis; Research; Nutrition; Beverage; Health; Sugar
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.113.058917

Background: Evidence maps are a new method that systematically characterize the range of research activity in broad topic areas and are used to guide research priority setting, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.Objective: We expanded evidence mapping methods by demonstrating their usefulness as a tool for organizing epidemiologic research on sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake and health outcomes: obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and coronary heart disease/stroke.Design: We performed a search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases and a hand search of references. Studies selected were reviews and longitudinal studies (intervention and cohort) published between 1 January 1966 and 31 October 2012.Results: We identified and mapped 77 studies (18 review and 59 primary research articles); most of the research focused on obesity (n = 47). For all outcomes, >30% (n = 18) of the primary research studies we identified were not referenced in published reviews. We found considerable variability among primary research studies of SSBs and the 4 health outcomes in terms of designs, definitions of SSBs, and definitions of outcomes, which renders these studies difficult to interpret collectively. For example, we counted 14 different definitions of weight/obesity in 29 observational cohort studies, and ≤6 studies reported the use of the same outcome measure.Conclusions: Establishing field standards in the study of SSB intake and health outcomes would facilitate interpretation across research studies and thereby increase the utility of systematic reviews/meta-analyses and ultimately the efficiency of research efforts. Rapid publication of new data suggests the need for regular updates and caution when reading reviews.