Author
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LICHTENSTEIN, ALICE - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University |
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Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 1/17/2014 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Systematic reviews are valuable tools for staying abreast of evolving nutrition and aging -related topics, formulating dietary guidelines, establishing nutrient reference intakes, formulating clinical practice guidance, evaluating health claims, and setting research agendas. Basic steps of conducting a systematic review include identifying a review team, developing an analytic framework, formulating key questions, selecting inclusion/exclusion criteria, identifying search terms, searching the literature, selecting publications for inclusion, extracting and summarizing data, rating the methodological quality of the included studies, and if adequate data is available, conducting a meta-analysis. Unique issues specific to nutrition-related topics include baseline exposure, nutrient status, nutrient bioavailability, nutrient bioequivalence, biological stores, multiple biological functions, undefined nature of nutrient intervention, and uncertainties in assessing dose-response relationships. Conclusions of systematic reviews or meta-analysis are helpful tools that can contribute to decisions but do not in themselves establish guidelines or research agendas. |
