EU - ERA4HEALTH 2023

The aim of this call is to develop novel strategies and targeted approaches to identify, understand, and modify determinants and mechanisms of diet-related behaviour and physical activity as well as sedentary behaviour, which have the potential to break through the cycles maintaining unhealthy behaviours and lifestyles and to reduce health inequalities.

Research should be targeted at socio-economically disadvantaged groups and their setting, including the family, social, cultural, and local background, as well as digital influences. The applicants need to clearly define and justify their selection of target group(s). In addition, the strategy how these target groups will be reached needs to be innovative and outlined in detail.

Proposals should comprise holistic and multi-disciplinary research, that must include several approaches tackling different aspects, such as:

• Mapping the current situation of the vulnerable groups with respect to food and built environment for physical activity;
• Developing and testing innovative interventions/ targeted strategies, that
  • may target the food environment and/or the built environment for physical activity and/or
  • may address illiteracy by increasing knowledge with respect to food, lifestyle and adequate use of digital media and/or
  • may be focussed on different settings, including but not limited to day-care, schools, workspace, retirement homes, neighbourhood, and/or
  • may use a life course approach.
• Evaluating existing interventions, e.g. to identify barriers in the implementation;
• Assessing the efficiency of policies and fiscal approaches (e.g. taxes and subsidies) that were implemented to enhance healthy diets and physical activity;
• Expanding the theoretical basis on the systemic barriers to change, e.g. political, economic and/or cultural barriers to increase the effect of interventions.

The research results should have a clear potential to be translated into policy recommendations or actions.

Beyond that, the following points should be taken into account:

• Involvement of citizens/stakeholders:
  • It is strongly recommended to involve stakeholders in the projects, e.g. political representatives (local/regional/national), citizens and/or citizen representatives, local communities, schools, municipalities, local/ national NGOs, consumer organisations.
  • Involvement of stakeholders should start as early in the process as suitable for the research, ideally already in the conception stage.
  • The type of stakeholders and level of involvement depends on the design, e.g. for new interventions it should be co-creation; applicants should well explain their reasons behind (not) involving certain stakeholders.
  • Stakeholders can be directly involved in the project as funded partner (depending on the respective national regulations for funding of stakeholders; see Annex I), collaborator, or as part of an advisory board.
  • Dissemination activities only are NOT sufficient in terms of co-creation/participation of stakeholders.
• Proposals should consider potential moderators of effects such as age, sex, gender, ethnic or other (socio-)demographic features/differences in the respective research approaches.
• Proposals should make use of existing cohorts, if applicable. Otherwise, it should be explained why existing cohorts are not used.
• The way policies (social domain) determine health should be in accordance with a HiAP (Health in All Policies) perspective.

Please note that additional conditions might apply at national level (see Annex I in call text)

Contacts in Innovation Fund Denmark:

Steen Bennike Mortensen, Investment Officer 
+45 6190 5026
steen.bennike.mortensen@innofond.dk  

Paola Andrea Barrientos Quiroga, Investment Officer
+45 6190 5086
paola.barrientos.quiroga@innofond.dk