Comment passer du niveau de preuve aux recommandations de santé publique ?^*

Inra, Unité de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle (UMR INRA 1125, INSERM U 557, Cnam, Université Paris 13), Réseau National Cancer Recherche (réseau NACRe)
www.inra.fr/nacre

^** Paule.Martel@jouy.inra.fr

Abstract

Nutrition, including diet, nutritional status and physical activity is important for public health because it is part of modifiable factors. Its effects on health are multiple and complex (gene interactions/nutrition, additive effects, multiplicative or antagonists) and sometimes difficult to study and to highlight. The relationship between a nutritional factor and a disease can be studied by different types of epidemiological or mechanistic studies which have both advantages and limits. Results from all these types of studies must be evaluated by expert committees to determine the level of evidence (convincing, probable, or limited), and exposure data for the population considered must be taken into account, to elaborate pertinent public health recommendations.