Research Ethics (Human & Animal Studies)

Author Guidelines on Research Ethics

Research published in the World Nutrition Journal must uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct. All studies involving human participants, human data or material, and animals must be performed in accordance with internationally recognized ethical principles, applicable local/national regulations, and institutional requirements. These guidelines are intended to help authors understand the ethical expectations for submission and publication.

Human Subjects

Ethical Principles for Human Research

All studies involving human participants must be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects.

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Ethics Committee Approval

Authors must obtain ethical approval from a recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Research Ethics Committee (REC) before commencing research involving human participants, human tissues, or identifiable human data. The manuscript should include:

The name of the approving ethics committee(s)
The approval reference number(s)
A clear statement confirming approval was obtained prior to the study start date.

If ethical approval was not required, the manuscript must include a justification and explain why approval was not necessary under applicable regulations.

Informed Consent

Authors must include in the manuscript a statement that informed consent was obtained from all participants, or from legally authorized representatives when appropriate, before inclusion in the study. Consent must be:

Voluntary
Documented in writing unless a waiver is justified (and approved by an ethics committee)
Inclusive of permission for participation and publication of non-identifiable data.

Researchers should also ensure privacy rights and confidentiality of participants are protected in accordance with applicable law.

Vulnerable Populations

Studies involving vulnerable populations (e.g., children, prisoners, persons with impaired decision-making capacity) require additional safeguards to protect their rights and welfare. Ethical justifications and additional consent procedures must be explicitly stated and approved by the ethics committee.

Animal Subjects

Protection and Ethical Use of Animals

Research involving animals must adhere to internationally recognized animal welfare standards and to relevant national/institutional guidelines. This includes but is not limited to:

Humane treatment and minimization of pain/distress
Compliance with laws governing animal care and use
Assurance that the study has been ethically justified and approved by an appropriate review committee.

Ethical Approval and Reporting

Manuscripts reporting animal experiments must include:

The name of the animal ethics committee or review board
Approval number and date
A detailed description of the standards and guidelines followed
Justification for the choice of species and number of animals used.

Authors should describe how pain, suffering, and distress were minimized and how principles such as the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) were considered

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Ethical Reporting and Transparency

Authors are encouraged to provide transparent information on ethical considerations, including:

How risks to participants/animals were minimized and justified
Detailed procedures for consent and confidentiality protection;
Any potential ethical issues that arose and how they were addressed.

Such details may be included in the Methods/Ethics Statement section of the manuscript or in supplementary materials available to reviewers and editors.

Potential Ethical Concerns and Editorial Review

Editorial staff may request additional information or documentation relating to ethical approval and conduct. Editors retain the right to reject manuscripts on ethical grounds if: