[Evidence-based medicine and clinical nutrition]

Evidence based medicine (EBM), the medical science in compliance with the good clinical evidence, has boomed since its inception. Availing of three major technologies of clinical epidemiology (CE), systematic reviews (SRs) and health technology assessment (HTA), it emphasizes that clinical practice should be based on the high-quality clinical evidence. Clinical nutrition (CN) is an important medical field. The introduction of concept of evidence into clinical nutrition was started in the late 1980's. Along with the development of EBM, clinical practice of CN has increasingly applied with the principles of EBM. Now, 1,435 clinical trials related to CN have been identified in the Cochrane Library. Of Sichuan University, there still exists the gap in both research and practice of CN between China and the developed countries. The introduction and implementation of EBM into CN will be preferable to its improvement. The preparation of the Cooperating Group of Clinical Nutrition of the Chinese Cochrane Center by Clinical Nutrition Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and West China Hospital of Sichuan University will be a good attempt.