Medical journal retracts six research papers on food and eating

A leading medical journal retracted six articles from a Cornell University researcher on Wednesday after public concern prompted editors to investigate the original claims and found no supporting evidence.

The retracted articles, originally published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, were led by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., and primarily dealt with food and nutrition and behavior.

Editors contacted Cornell University to verify the results of the six research articles, but they couldn’t find the original data.

“We regret that, because we do not have access to the original data, we cannot assure you that the results of the studies are valid,” Cornell University wrote to the journal.

The six articles include:

• Super Bowls: serving bowl size and food consumption.

• First foods most: after 18-hour fast, people drawn to starches first and vegetables last.

• Fattening fasting: hungry grocery shoppers buy more calories, not more food.

• Watch what you eat: action-related television content increases food intake.

• Consequences of belonging to the “clean plate club.”