Evidence-led, plainly put
What "evidence-led" actually means here: where our facts come from, how we translate dense research into something you can use today, and why you'll never find a fad diet on this site.
How we research a topic
Every guide on Dietitian Without Borders moves through the same five steps before it's published. It's slower than rewriting a press release — and that's the point.
Start with the strongest evidence
We look for systematic reviews, meta-analyses and the published recommendations of registered-dietetics and clinical bodies first — not a single eye-catching study. Where those don't exist yet, we say so plainly.
Read the primary sources
We go back to the actual trials and guidelines — NHS, Coeliac UK, Monash University's FODMAP programme, IDDSI, Diabetes UK, sports-science and peer-reviewed journals — rather than relying on a headline's summary of them.
Weigh the certainty
We grade how confident the evidence lets us be, using the same high / moderate / low / very-low logic researchers use (GRADE). "Promising" and "proven" are not the same word, so we don't use them as if they were.
Translate into plain language
We turn grams, percentages and clinical terms into portions, plates and timings you can act on — without dumbing the science down or stripping away the caveats that matter.
Review and date it
A registered dietitian reviews the draft, we date it, and we revisit it as guidance changes. Nutrition science moves; an honest resource has to move with it.
Our hierarchy of evidence
Not all studies carry equal weight. We lean on the top of this pyramid and treat the bottom as a hypothesis, not a headline. The figures below are an illustrative ranking of how much confidence each study type can support.
Strongest: pooled, critically appraised evidence
Participants randomly allocated and followed over time
Observational — useful, but can't prove cause
Snapshots and small groups
A starting point for questions, not for advice
No fad diets, no fear, no hidden agenda
We won't tell you to cut out a whole food group because it's having a bad week online. We won't promise a number on the scale by a number on the calendar. And because this is an authority resource — not a shop — nothing here is written to sell you a supplement, a meal kit or a programme.
What you'll get instead is the current best evidence, the honest size of the uncertainty around it, and practical steps that respect your culture, your budget and your body. These are explainers, not prescriptions: for anything clinical, your own registered dietitian or doctor knows your situation in a way an article never can.
“Evidence-led doesn't mean certainty. It means being honest about how much we know, how well we know it, and what we'd change our minds about — then writing it plainly enough to be useful today.”
Questions about our approach
What does "evidence-led" actually mean on this site?
It means we start from systematic reviews, randomised trials and the recommendations of recognised dietetics and clinical bodies — then grade how confident that evidence lets us be. Where the science is genuinely unsettled, we tell you that rather than picking a side for the sake of a tidier headline.
How do you decide which sources to trust?
We prioritise reputable, accountable sources: the NHS, Coeliac UK, Monash University's Low FODMAP programme, IDDSI, Diabetes UK, sports-science consensus statements and peer-reviewed journals. We prefer pooled, critically appraised evidence over any single study, and we name our sources so you can check them yourself.
Why won't you recommend popular diets?
Most fad diets rely on weak or very-low-certainty evidence, dramatic before-and-afters, or the removal of whole food groups without good reason. We'd rather give you durable, flexible principles — like the proportions in the Eatwell Guide, where fruit and vegetables make up just over a third of the plate — than a rule that won't survive next year.
Is this medical advice?
No. Our guides are general, evidence-based explainers written by a registered-dietitian team. They're not a substitute for personalised care. If you have a diagnosed condition or specific clinical needs, please work with your own dietitian or doctor.
How often is content reviewed?
Each guide is dated and reviewed when relevant guidance changes. Nutrition science evolves, so we treat our pages as living documents rather than one-and-done articles.
Spotted something we should revisit?
If the evidence has moved on, or a guide could be clearer, we genuinely want to hear it. Good resources improve in the open.