Nutritional Recommendations and accessible Evidence summaries Composed of Systematic reviews (NutriRECS): engagement and incorporation of consumer perspectives

Article type
Authors
Johnston B1, Alonso Coello P2, Bala M3, Zeraatkar D4, Valli C2, Rabassa M2, Marshall C5, Lyddiatt A5, Maciorowska K3, El Dib R1, Vernooij R1, Lytvyn L4, Vandvik P6, Guyatt G4
1Dalhousie University
2Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre
3Cochrane Poland
4McMaster University
5Cochrane Consumer Network
6University of Oslo
Abstract
Background:
One of the major limitations of existing systematic reviews and practice guidelines is the inadequate engagement of key stakeholders, particularly patient and community members (consumers).

Objectives:
To develop consumer-centred systematic reviews and nutritional guideline recommendations.

Methods:
The NutriRECS (Nutritional Recommendations and accessible Evidence summaries Composed of Systematic reviews) group aims to develop consumer-centred systematic reviews and nutritional guideline recommendations. Each NutriRECS project is led by a steering committee that oversees a multidisciplinary guideline panel (consumers, methodologists, nutrition experts) and one or more systematic review teams. The first NutriRECS project focuses on the health effects of red meat consumption. As an example of NutriRECS methods in action, we will present the development and progress of the health effects of the red meat consumption project including the assembly and composition of the systematic review team. We will show how we emphasise consumer engagement in developing the research question, including the choice of outcomes and subgroups of interest. We will also provide an overview of ongoing parallel systematic reviews on: 1) consumers' values and preferences on meat consumption, and 2) associated health effects. We will subsequently interview consumers about their engagement experience in the systematic review and in developing the final recommendations.

Results:
Consumers identified outcomes of interest for our systematic review of red meat consumption that other members of the NutriRECS team did not, including the effect on body weight and dietary satisfaction. Consumers also identified a subgroup of interest, identifying the impact of red meat consumption on people with and without iron deficiency. We will present the complete results.

Conclusions:
Incorporating consumer perspectives in developing and conducting systematic reviews to inform NutriRECS is expected to improve the relevance of our work to end-users, particularly patients and community members. The learning from this pilot NutriRECS project will inform the methods for the engagement and incorporation of consumer perspectives in future systematic reviews and guideline recommendations.