London - Scientific research claiming that diet drinks could be better than water in helping people lose weight was funded by an industry body which counts Coca-Cola and PepsiCo among its members, it emerged on Saturday.
The study highlighting the benefits of diet drinks, led by Peter Rogers, a professor at Bristol University, was published in the International Journal of Obesity.
The scientific review was backed and funded by a research institute, ILSI Europe, whose members include Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Representatives from both companies also sit on an eating behaviour and energy balance taskforce of which lead author Professor Rogers is co-chairman.
But the published paper does not disclose that, nor that it has reportedly given some of the co-authors fees of around £750 each.
Its findings, released last November, were in contrast to other independent research associating diet drinks with weight gain. And Bristol University did not disclose the industry funding in its press release announcing the results of the study, according to The Sunday Times.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the University of Bristol said: "This research was published in the International Journal of Obesity, a peer-reviewed journal, which means the data and conclusions have been scrutinised by other scientists. We therefore stand by the findings."
The Independent