Overview

The aim of the Continuous Update Project (CUP) is to make sure everyone, from policy makers to members of the public, has access to Recommendations for Cancer Prevention that are always based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence.

The CUP captures and reviews this evidence in a systematic and thorough way. An independent panel of world-renowned experts then makes judgements on the research findings.

The CUP builds on the foundations of the WCRF global network’s 1997 and 2007 Expert Reports into food, nutrition, physical activity and cancer.

Our Second Expert Report remains the most comprehensive report ever produced on food, nutrition, physical activity, body fatness and cancer prevention, and is the basis of all WCRF global network education and communications programmes.

But as new research is published, the CUP ensures that the evidence on which the WCRF/AICR Recommendations are based continues to be the most up-to-date and comprehensive available.

The CUP follows the same robust scientific process as the 2007 Second Expert Report. An independent approach is maintained by separating the collection and review of the evidence from the Panel's judgements and Recommendations for Cancer Prevention.

It also uses the same research methods to ensure a consistent approach to reviewing the evidence. The methods are detailed in the SLR Specification Manual.

All relevant studies published since 2006 are being included with studies added on an ongoing basis as they become available.

The WCRF global network funds a team of scientists led by Dr Teresa Norat at Imperial College London to carry out the ongoing systematic literature reviews.

As well as funding this work, WCRF International also provides the Secretariat for the project.