Latest from Food Politics: Meat industry: the funding effect

Navid Teimouri, who is at the School of Public Health, University of Queensland, sent me his team’s recently published analysis of meat industry sponsored nutrition studies and their outcomes: Is Meat Industry Affiliation Associated With Study ...

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By Marion Nestle May 18 2026 Meat industry: the funding effect Navid Teimouri, who is at the School of Public Health, University of Queensland, sent me his team’s recently published analysis of meat industry sponsored nutrition studies and their outcomes: Is Meat Industry Affiliation Associated With Study Conclusion in Nutrition Research? A Meta-Research Review. This is a classic study of what the late Sheldon Krimsky called the “funding effect,” the bias toward favorable results caused by industry sponsorship of research. The authors examined 500 research studies of meat and health outcome. The results: Of 500 included studies, 78 (15.6%) reported industry involvement. Studies with industry ties were 16 times more likely to report favorable conclusions regarding meat consumption (odds ratio [OR] = 16.4, 95% CI: 7.5–35.8), and there was a significant association (p < 0.001) between industry involvement and study conclusion. The conclusion: Meat industry involvement significantly increases the likelihood of favorable study conclusions in nutrition research. These findings underscore the need for caution when interpreting research funded or associated with the meat industry and emphasize the importance of minimizing conflicts of interest in nutrition research. Comment When I wrote my book, Unsavory Truth, I could only find a few funding-effect studies dealing with food or nutrition.  This one adds to the collection.  It confirms previous findings.  Only a small percent of nutrition research is industry funded, but those studies are more likely to find results favoring the sponsor’s commercial interests than those that are not industry funded.  Why?  Food companies are unlikely to sponsor research that might find their products harmful.  Sheldon Krimsky mostly looked at studies funded by the pharmaceutical drug industry.  Studies funded by food or nutrition companies share similar biases. The post Meat industry: the funding effect appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle      Related Posts A rare exception: an industry-funded study with negative results Industry-funded study of the week: Full-fat dairy and body weight Industry-funded study of the week: The Sweet Tooth Trial   Now Available: What to Eat Now My new book, What to Eat Now, is officially out! It's both a field guide to food shopping in America and a reflection on how to eat well—and deliciously. For more information and to order, click here. You can explore the full archive of this (almost) daily blog at foodpolitics.com, where you'll also find information about my books, articles, media interviews, upcoming lectures, favorite resources, and FAQs. Visit the Site » ​​​​​​​ Marion Nestle Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, Emerita © Marion Nestle. You're receiving this email because you've signed up to receive updates from us. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe. Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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