[How the infant food industry processes scientific research]

For the minority of health claims on infant formula marketing materials that cited scientific studies, the vast majority had a high risk of bias and was sponsored by formula manufacturers. This is consistent with prior research revealing a 'cycle of bias' in nutrition research. The food industry biases what is being investigated in the first place. It encourages a focus on exercise and specific nutrients that legitimize health claims for specific products - a situation that is exacerbated by chronic government disinvestment in research on dietary patterns. Industry-funded studies more often report findings favourable to their sponsor, possibly because scientists are mostly influenced by their funders on an unconscious level. Investigating such effects is complicated because funding sources are not always reported clearly. Industry-funded studies should be assessed critically on what was and on what was not investigated. Governments should increase funding for nutritional research for a more level playing field.