The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2022 – handbook for qualified systematic reviews

  • Erik Kristoffer Arnesen Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  • Jacob Juel Christensen Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, and Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
  • Rikke Andersen National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
  • Hanna Eneroth The Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
  • Maijaliisa Erkkola Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
  • Anne Høyer The Norwegian Directorate of Health, Oslo, Norway
  • Eva Warensjö Lemming The Swedish Food Agency, Uppsala, Sweden
  • Helle Margrete Meltzer Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
  • Þórhallur Ingi Þórhallsson School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
  • Inga Þórsdóttir School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
  • Ursula Schwab Department of Medicine, Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition, Kuopio University Hospital, and Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland
  • Ellen Trolle National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
  • Rune Blomhoff Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo; The Norwegian Directorate of Health, Oslo, and Division of Cancer Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Keywords: Dietary reference values, food-based dietary guidelines, systematic reviews, national food and health authorities, evidence-based nutrition, nutrient recommendations, Nordic and Baltic countries

Abstract

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) constitute a major part of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNRs). The step-by-step procedure used to develop SRs has evolved considerably over time and is often tailored to fit the exposure and outcomes in focus.

Objective: To describe a detailed procedure for developing qualified SRs commissioned by the NNR2022 project.

Design: Scrutinizing procedures of recent SRs commissioned by leading national food and health authorities or international food and health organizations.

Results: The following eight steps must be included when developing qualified SRs for the NNR2022 project: 1) define research question, 2) protocol development, 3) literature search, 4) screening and selection of studies, 5) data extraction, 6) assessing risk of bias, 7) synthesis and grading of total strength of evidence, and 8) reporting according to certain standards.

Discussion: This guide is based on the guidelines developed for the fifth edition of NNR but includes some important new domains in order to adhere to more recent, authoritative standards.

Conclusion: All qualified SRs in the NNR2022 project will follow the protocol described here.

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Published
2020-06-18
How to Cite
Arnesen E. K., Juel Christensen J., Andersen R., Eneroth H., Erkkola M., Høyer A., Warensjö Lemming E., Meltzer H. M., Þórhallsson Þórhallur I., Þórsdóttir I., Schwab U., Trolle E., & Blomhoff R. (2020). The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2022 – handbook for qualified systematic reviews. Food & Nutrition Research, 64. https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v64.4404
Section
Review Articles

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