Abstract
BACKGROUND: Consideration of sex and gender in nutrition research is needed to inform best practice interventions and policy. It is unknown how nutrition and dietetic journals comply with sex and gender reporting guidelines. OBJECTIVE: To determine if female representation and adherence to sex and gender guidelines across the leading nutrition and dietetic journals have changed between 2012 and 2022. DESIGN: Quantitative analysis of articles published in 10 nutrition and dietetic journals was conducted. We screened a random sample of at least 100 articles per journal and year, aiming to include 50 randomly selected articles published in 2012 and 50 published in 2022 per journal. Articles were included if they were original research, conducted in humans, and focused on nutrition. Review articles and those focused on sex-specific conditions were excluded. METHODS: Data were compiled on the proportion of female participants in published studies and compliance with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines relating to sex and gender. Changes in compliance with ICMJE guidelines between 2012 and 2022 were assessed using chi-square tests. RESULTS: A total of 812 articles (402 in 2012, 410 in 2022) were included. Female representation was 56% in both years. Increases in adherence to ICMJE guidelines included reporting of sex and/or gender (90% in 2012 to 94% in 2022, p = 0.03), statistical comparison by sex and/or gender (38% in 2012 to 48% in 2022, p = 0.02), and definition of sex and/or gender terminology (0% in 2012 to 2% in 2022, p = 0.002). There was no evidence of a change in single-sex study justification, stratification of results by sex and/or gender, justification if not stratified, and discussion of sex and/or gender-related factors between time points. CONCLUSION: Greater inclusion of sex and gender considerations in nutrition research is required to inform best practice interventions.