What does the PEN System do?
The PEN System delivers evidence-graded, peer-reviewed nutrition practice guidance in seconds, saving dietitians hours of research.
Organizes content into topic-based Knowledge Pathways — hubs incorporating topics into recommendations and graded evidence summaries, backgrounds, nutrition care process sections, professional and client resources
Built for both quick point-of-care answers and deep evidence review
Learn more: www.pennutrition.com/aboutpen.aspx
Who should use the PEN System?
The PEN System is built for anyone who needs reliable, current nutrition evidence —
Dietitians and nutritionists: point-of-care guidance that focuses on improving outcomes and saves research time
Public health practitioners: population and lifecycle guidance grounded in best evidence
Academic educators: a teaching tool for critical appraisal and evidence-based decision-making
Students: institutional site licenses keep course materials current
Food service administrators: best-evidence answers on food safety and nutrient analysis
Policy-makers, food, food industry and pharmaceutical manufacturers: an evidence-based reference and resource for policy, consumer research, claims, compliance and product service
What topics and areas of practice does the PEN System cover?
The PEN System covers the full spectrum of dietetic practice, including.
Clinical and institutional health care
Primary and public / community health
Consulting and private practice
Professional education and training
Food, food service, pharmaceutical, and government sectors
Specific topic examples include: Gerontology, Cardiovascular Disease, Child and Youth Nutrition, Cannabis and Nutritional Health, Weight/Obesity – Dietary Supplements, Advocacy/Public Affairs
Who develops the content in the PEN System?
PEN System content is entirely independent — the platform accepts zero corporate sponsorship.
Developed by Dietitians of Canada
Managed in partnership by Dietitians Australia and Dietitians of Canada
Funded by partner associations, subscriptions, licensing fees, and government grants — never advertising or industry funding
Who writes and reviews the PEN System content?
Content is written by dietitian evidence analysts and reviewed by practitioners and subject matter experts.
Reviewers include dietitian practitioners, researchers, and educators with relevant practice expertise
All content passes editorial review and quality assurance before publication
Authors and reviewers follow established methodologies for accuracy and relevance
How does the PEN System grade its evidence?
The PEN System uses two evidence-grading systems so users always know how much confidence to place in a recommendation.
GRADE (for intervention comparisons): recommendations rated Strong or Conditional; evidence rated High, Moderate, Low, or Very Low
PEN Evidence Grades (for other question types): key practice points graded A (good evidence) through D (insufficient evidence)
Every piece of content goes through a systematic literature review, expert drafting, and independent peer review
Full methodology: PEN Authors and Reviewers Guide (on website)
Why use the PEN System instead of PubMed, Google Scholar, or AI?
The PEN System saves time by doing the critical appraisal and synthesis work for you — not just identifying selected studies.
Searches and evaluates dietetic research on your behalf
Critically appraises evidence quality
Synthesises findings into practical, actionable recommendations
Provides evidence grades supported by referenced evidence statements
Offers nutrition care process guidance, tools and resources built specifically for nutrition practice
How is the PEN System different from the Evidence Analysis Library (EAL) or Nutrition Care Manual (NCM)?
PEN, EAL, and NCM are all evidence-based nutrition resources, but each serves a different stage of practice — see the comparison table.
| Feature | PEN System | EAL (Evidence Analysis Library) | NCM (Nutrition Care Manual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Bridge research evidence and everyday practice | In-depth research and guideline development | Clinical implementation at point of care |
| Best for | Quick, evidence-graded practice answers with supporting client handouts | Systematic reviews (SRs), conclusion statements | Therapeutic diets, care plans, patient education |
| Typical user | Dietitians, educators, public health practitioners | Researchers, guideline developers | Clinicians delivering direct patient care |
| Content format | Knowledge Pathways: topics providing recommendations based on best available evidence (including EAL SRs), summaries and handouts | Detailed evidence analyses, conclusion grades | Care plans, calculators, patient handouts |
| Evidence grading | Recommendations using GRADE + PEN Grades (A–D) | Conclusion statements graded by evidence quality | Diet-specific clinical protocols |
| Use case example | "What's the evidence on low FODMAP diet for IBD?" | "What does the full systematic review show?" | "What diet order do I write for this patient?" |