(P09-008-23) A Landscape Analysis of Key Topics Published in the American Society for Nutrition’s Journals and Information on Government Websites

Objectives: To determine the top health outcomes and biomarkers studied and published in nutrition science in recent years and how these topics align with information on government websites.

Methods: Articles published between January 2019 and November 2021 in each journal of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) – the Journal of Nutrition, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Advances in Nutrition, and Current Developments in Nutrition – were evaluated. Two independent, blinded reviewers counted every article that mentioned established key terms and phrases during the designated timeframe. Two additional reviewers completed quality control and resolved any discrepancies between the initial reviewers’ counts. The top ten topics published overall and in each journal were ascertained. Next, a search of .gov websites to determine mentions of the top ten topics was completed and each webpage was documented by two independent reviewers.

Results: The microbiome was the topic with the most publications overall, for each year, and in each journal individually. The second most published topic was the nutrient benefits of polyphenols, followed by fiber in the context of gut health. When evaluating each journal individually, the second most common topic published was the nutrient benefits of polyphenols; while the third most common topic varied by journal. Overall, there was a paucity of information on government websites for the top ten topics. Most information was tangential to a key topic, at a high level, and/or not readily actionable for consumers. The topic with the most information on government websites was the microbiome followed by quality of life and fiber and gut health.

Conclusions: This evaluation of ASN’s journals and government websites demonstrated gaps in the information available online for the leading nutrition research topics recently published. Given the high degree of trust that health professionals and consumers place in the government as a source of credible information, there is an opportunity for nutrition stakeholders to update trusted websites so that they are consistent with current scientific knowledge and beneficial to the advancement of nutrition and public health.

Funding Sources: Hass Avocado Board’s Avocado Nutrition Center