Table 1.

Characteristics of the included studies by sponsorship and author COI funding source, n (%)*

Characteristic	Category	Total n=22	Industry/COI n=9	Non-industry/no COI n=13
Sex	Male	4 (18)	4 (44)	0 (0)
	Female	6 (27)	1 (11)	5 (38)
	Both	12 (55)	4 (44)	8 (62)
Sample size, quartiles	<5000	6 (27)	2 (22)	4 (31)
	5000–50 000	9 (41)	4 (44)	5 (38)
	>50 000	7 (32)	3 (33)	4 (31)
Length of follow-up	N/A†	3 (14)	1 (11)	2 (15)
	<10 years	1 (5)	1 (11)	0 (0)
	10–15 years	12 (55)	4 (44)	8 (62)
	>15	6 (27)	3 (33)	3 (23)
Percent wholegrain	Not defined	12 (55)	3 (33)	9 (69)
	>25%‡	10 (45)	6 (67)	4 (31)
Type of wholegrain	Only wholegrain intake	15 (68)	5 (56)	10 (77)
	Individual wholegrain food§	7 (32)	4 (44)	3 (23)
Primary outcome	Favourable to wholegrains	16 (73)	8 (89)	8 (62)
	Unfavourable to Wholegrains	6 (27)	1 (11)	5 (38)
Conclusions	Favourable to wholegrains	16 (73)	8 (89)	8 (62)
	Unfavourable to wholegrains	6 (27)	1 (11)	5 (38)
Risk of bias assessment
	Serious/critical bias due to confounding	21 (95)	9 (100)	12 (92)
	Serious/critical bias in selection of participants into the study	3 (14)	1 (11)	2 (15)
	Serious/critical bias in classification of exposures	16 (73)	5 (56)	11 (85)
	Serious/critical bias due to deviations from exposures	7 (32)	3 (33)	4 (31)
	Serious/critical bias due to missing data	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
	Serious/critical bias in measurement of outcomes	1 (5)	1 (11)	0 (0)
	Serious/critical bias in selection of reported results	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
	Serious/critical overall risk of bias	21 (95)	9 (100)	12 (92)

*Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

†Case–control studies were not followed up.

‡Any wholegrain foods defined as >25%.

§Individual foods included wholegrain cereal, breakfast cereal, bread and brown rice.

COI, conflict of interest.