Conflict of Interest

Conflict of Interest Policy

Jurnal Gizi dan Kesehatan (JGK) is committed to integrity, transparency, objectivity, and accountability throughout the scholarly publication process. The journal recognizes that competing interests may influence, or reasonably appear to influence, the design, conduct, interpretation, evaluation, and publication of research.

JGK requires authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, and relevant publishing personnel to disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could affect research integrity or editorial independence.

1. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when professional judgment, research activities, or editorial responsibilities may be influenced, or reasonably perceived to be influenced, by another interest or relationship.

A competing interest does not necessarily indicate unethical conduct. However, failure to disclose a relevant interest may undermine transparency and confidence in the research or publication process.

Financial Conflicts of Interest

Relevant financial interests may include:

  • Research grants, sponsorships, or financial support from organizations interested in the findings;
  • Employment, consultancy fees, honoraria, or paid advisory roles;
  • Ownership of shares, intellectual property, or other financial interests;
  • Paid work for political parties, government bodies, advocacy organizations, media organizations, or commercial entities relevant to the research; and
  • Financial benefits associated with the publication or application of the findings.

Non-Financial Conflicts of Interest

Relevant non-financial interests may include:

  • Personal, family, supervisory, or close professional relationships;
  • Academic competition, professional rivalry, or previous disputes;
  • Institutional affiliations or organizational responsibilities;
  • Political office, party leadership, campaign roles, or advisory appointments;
  • Leadership or active involvement in organizations directly concerned with the research topic; and
  • Editorial responsibilities or collaborations that could compromise independent judgment.

Personal political, religious, philosophical, or theoretical views do not automatically constitute conflicts of interest. Disclosure is required when a relevant role, relationship, or commitment could reasonably affect the research or its evaluation. Authors are not required to disclose private beliefs unrelated to their work.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

All authors must disclose relevant financial and non-financial interests during submission.

Authors must:

  1. Identify relationships or interests relevant to the research;
  2. Disclose funding, sponsorship, and relevant institutional or organizational support;
  3. Explain sponsors’ roles in research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and submission;
  4. Ensure that disclosures accurately represent all co-authors;
  5. Notify the Editorial Team of relevant changes during review or publication; and
  6. Include a Conflict of Interest Statement in the manuscript, even when no relevant interests exist.

When No Conflict Exists

“The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to the research, authorship, or publication of this article.”

When a Conflict Exists

“Author A received research funding from [Organization Name]. Author B served as a consultant to [Organization Name] on matters relevant to this study. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

Funding must also be reported in the Funding Statement. Disclosure in one section does not replace a necessary explanation elsewhere.

A disclosed conflict does not automatically result in rejection. The editor will assess whether adequate safeguards and transparent reporting preserve the integrity of the work.

3. Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose relevant competing interests before accepting an assignment.

Potential conflicts include:

  • Personal or family relationships with authors;
  • Recent or ongoing research collaboration;
  • Supervisory or institutional relationships;
  • Direct professional competition or significant disputes;
  • Financial interests related to the findings; and
  • Political, advisory, or organizational roles directly connected to the subject under review.

Reviewers must decline assignments when impartial assessment cannot reasonably be ensured. If a conflict becomes apparent after review has begun, they must promptly inform the handling editor and await instructions.

Under double-blind review, reviewers must not attempt to identify authors. If an author’s identity becomes apparent and creates a potential conflict, the reviewer must notify the editor.

Confidential information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal, professional, financial, organizational, or political advantage.

4. Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Board Members

Editors must base decisions on scholarly merit, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

They must disclose interests that could affect manuscript handling, including:

  • Personal, professional, or supervisory relationships with authors;
  • Current or recent collaborations;
  • Relevant institutional or financial connections;
  • Direct competition or significant disputes;
  • Political or organizational roles relevant to the manuscript; and
  • Participation as an author or contributor.

Editors must recuse themselves when a relevant conflict could compromise independent judgment. The manuscript must then be assigned to another qualified editor without that conflict.

When the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict, responsibility must be delegated to an independent editor or appropriately qualified Editorial Board member.

Submissions from editors, Editorial Board members, or individuals connected to the publisher must receive independent assessment without preferential treatment.

5. Institutional and Publisher Conflicts of Interest

JGK maintains editorial independence from the financial, administrative, institutional, and organizational interests of its publisher, host institution, sponsors, and partners.

The following principles apply:

  1. Institutional affiliation, financial contributions, and professional connections must not determine acceptance or rejection;
  2. Authors affiliated with the publisher or host institution must meet the same standards as other authors;
  3. Publication charges, advertisements, sponsorships, and commercial arrangements must not influence editorial decisions;
  4. Editors and reviewers must remain free from inappropriate institutional, commercial, or political pressure; and
  5. Relevant institutional interests must be disclosed and appropriately managed.

6. Disclosure and Management Procedures

Initial Disclosure

Authors must provide relevant information at submission. Reviewers and editors must disclose interests before undertaking their respective responsibilities.

Editorial Assessment

The Editorial Team evaluates whether a disclosed interest could affect research integrity, reviewer impartiality, or editorial independence.

Management Measures

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may:

  • Request clarification or additional disclosure;
  • Appoint an independent handling editor;
  • Replace a reviewer;
  • Obtain an independent expert assessment;
  • Require a fuller explanation of funding or organizational relationships; or
  • Introduce additional safeguards proportionate to the concern.

Documentation

Relevant disclosures and management decisions will be recorded in the journal’s editorial records.

Publication Transparency

Relevant author disclosures will appear in the published article. Confidential information will be protected during assessment, except where disclosure is necessary for publication transparency, ethical investigation, or applicable obligations.

7. Conflicts of Interest

Nutrirtion and health research may involve relationships with organizations that are also research subjects, sponsors, employers, or beneficiaries.

Authors should disclose relevant relationships involving:

  • Political parties, candidates, campaigns, or electoral organizations;
  • Government agencies, legislatures, and public officials;
  • Policy institutes, consultancy firms, and lobbying organizations;
  • Civil society organizations, advocacy groups, and social movements;
  • Media organizations, polling agencies, and digital platforms;
  • Community-development or social-welfare organizations;
  • Security institutions or organizations involved in conflict-related research; and
  • Organizations whose policies, programs, or performance are being evaluated.

An insider role or participatory research relationship does not automatically invalidate a study. Authors should explain how the relationship affects access, recruitment, interpretation, and reporting, and describe safeguards against undue influence.

Researchers must protect voluntary participation, confidentiality, and accurate reporting. Sponsors or organizational partners must not improperly suppress unfavorable findings or require misleading conclusions.

Where disclosure could endanger participants or reveal protected information, authors should consult the editor about an appropriate disclosure that preserves transparency without unnecessary identification.

8. Undisclosed Conflicts and Corrective Actions

When a potentially undisclosed interest is identified before or after publication, JGK may:

  1. Request an explanation and supporting documentation;
  2. Assess its relevance to the research, review process, or editorial decision;
  3. Consult independent experts or relevant institutions;
  4. Require an updated declaration;
  5. Publish a correction;
  6. Issue an expression of concern when serious questions remain unresolved; or
  7. Consider retraction when evidence establishes that the article’s reliability or ethical integrity is fundamentally compromised.

Affected individuals will have a reasonable opportunity to respond.

Failure to disclose a competing interest does not automatically justify retraction. Any action must be proportionate to the nature and consequences of the omission.

9. Publication of Conflict of Interest Statements

Every published article must include a Conflict of Interest Statement.

When interests exist, the statement must identify the authors concerned and describe the relevant relationships clearly enough for readers to assess their significance.

When no relevant interests exist, an explicit declaration must be provided. Statements must be accurate and consistent with funding, affiliation, and contribution information elsewhere in the article.

10. Complaints and Appeals

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other concerned parties may report undisclosed or improperly managed interests through JGK’s official editorial contact channels.

Reports should identify the article or editorial matter, explain the concern, and provide supporting evidence where available.

Appeals will be assessed fairly and, where appropriate, by an independent editor or qualified representative without a relevant conflict. Complaints concerning the Editor-in-Chief must be referred to an appropriate independent editorial or publishing representative.

11. Commitment to Publication Ethics

Jurnal Gizi dan Kesehatan (JGK) applies this policy consistently across submissions, regardless of authors’ institutional affiliations, academic positions, professional relationships, political connections, or financial circumstances.

This policy operates alongside the journal’s Publication Ethics, Peer Review, Authorship and Contributorship, Allegations of Research Misconduct, and Corrections and Retractions policies.

Ethical Guidance