How we decide what to publish

What counts as a source

In descending order of preference: systematic reviews and meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials, guidance from national health bodies and professional dietetic associations, and primary observational research. Textbooks are used for settled physiology. Blogs, press releases and news write-ups of studies are not sources; where a claim traces to a study, we cite the study.

Every citation links to PubMed or the publisher, and outbound reference links carry a nofollow attribute. Where the evidence is genuinely contested, the page says so rather than picking the answer that reads better.

Review and update cycle

Health pages are reviewed at least every twelve months, and sooner when relevant guidance changes. Each page shows its last review date. An author and a reviewer are named on every substantive page, and the reviewer is a qualified clinician or registered dietitian who is not the author.

Corrections

When we get something wrong we fix it and say so. Substantive corrections are noted on the page with the date and what changed. Typos and formatting fixes are made silently. Reports go to corrections@tdeenet.com and are triaged within three working days.

Commercial independence

[State your funding model here.] Whatever it is, advertisers and affiliate partners have no input into what the calculator computes or what the articles say. We do not accept paid guest posts, sponsored links, or payment to review a product favourably. Any commercial relationship that could reasonably look like a conflict is disclosed on the page where it applies.

Use of AI tools

AI tools may be used for drafting, editing and code. They are not used as a source. Every factual claim is checked against the literature by a named human before publication, and every page carries a named author who is accountable for it.

Safety rules

Some things this site will not publish regardless of what the arithmetic says:

• Calorie targets below 1,200 a day for women or 1,500 for men.
• Results for anyone under 18.
• Weight-loss guidance aimed at people whose BMI is already below the healthy range.
• Fasting protocols, cleanses, or any pattern of restriction presented as a shortcut.
• Before-and-after imagery, goal weights framed as aspirational, or language that moralises about food.

These rules exist because a calculator has no way of knowing who is on the other side of the screen, and the cost of getting it wrong falls entirely on the reader.