HIDE PEEL
 
NUTRITION PORTAL

EU Research Programs

About EU Research Programs

This section aims to give a brief overview of European Union supported research in the field of nutrition and health. Please note that this information is not exhaustive.

Since 1984, research and innovation activities of the EU are grouped in one big programme, the Framework Programme. Framework Programmes are conceived for a period of 4 years. They are elaborated and proposed by the Commission and have to be adopted by the  European Parliament and Council.

An excellent online resource for information on all aspects of EU supported research is the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Europa website






EU Research Programs in Food, Nutrition and Health

Research in the area of food, health and nutrition has been undertaken under the following Frameworks :

The Seventh Framework Programme 2007 – 2013

      http://cordis.europa.eu/home_en.html

The Sixth Framework Programme 2002 – 2006

      http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/food.htm

Food Quality and Safety is one of the seven key themes of the sixth Framework Programmes. The objectives of this part of the framework were to assure the health and well-being of European citizens through a better understanding of the influence of food intake and environmental factors on human health; providing safer, high-quality and health-promoting food.

Thematic areas covered under this framework were:
  • Epidemiology of food-related diseases and allergies
  • Impact of food on health
  • Traceability processes all along the production chain
  • Methods of analysis, detection and control
  • Safer and environmentally friendly production methods and technologies and healthier foodstuffs
  • Impact of animal feed on human health
  • Environmental health risks
The Fifth Framework Programme (1998-2002)

      http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/quality-of-life/ka1/intro_en.htm

Food Nutrition and Health was one of the key areas of focus of the EU fifth Framework programmes. This programme specifically supported research in :
  • Development of safe and flexible and new and/or improved manufacturing processes and technologies
  • Safe food: Development of tests to detect and processes to eliminate infectious and toxic agents throughout the food chain.
  • Research into the role of food in promoting and sustaining health with respect to diet and nutrition, toxicology, epidemiology, environmental interaction, consumer choice and public health.
Please visit:  http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/quality-of-life/ka1/index_en.htm to see a list of projects funded.

The Fourth Framework Programme (1994-1998)

     http://www.cordis.lu/fair/src/project.htm

Generic Science and Advanced technologies for Nutritious Foods was one of the areas of focus of the fourth European  research framework.

Please visit the fourth International Framework website for a full list of projects supported: Generic Science and Advanced technologies for Nutritious Foods was one of the areas of focus of the fourth European  research framework: http://www.cordis.lu/fair/src/project.htm





EU Supported Research on Children’s Nutrition

Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

The Infant Nutrition Cluster

The Infant Nutrition Cluster is the collective name that is given to three EU  supported research projects in the area of “metabolic programming”  -  the process by which nutrition during the prenatal and foetal stage triggers metabolic changes that can mark the human being for life. The three projects which  make up this program are studying these ‘programmed’ relations in terms of pathologies of foetal growth, infant obesity and insulin-dependent diabetes. The Programs are:

  • CHOPIN: Childhood obesity: programming by infant nutrition?

    Objectives To test the primary hypothesis that a possible causal factor for the difference in long-term obesity risk between breast and formula fed infants is the much lower protein content of breast milk compared to infant formulae.
    For more information: http://www.danoneinstitute.org/EUchildhoodobesity/objectives/index.php
    Contact:  Prof. Dr Berthold Koletzko, University of Munich, Germany.
  • PERILIP: Influence of dietary fatty acids on the pathophysiology of intrauterine foetal growth and neonatal development.

    Objectives The overall objective of PERILIP is to define the role of fatty acids in foetal growth and neonatal development, with particular reference to intra-uterine growth restriction. The ultimate goal is to improve dietary guidelines for human pregnancies.
    For more information: www.perilip.org
    Contact:  Dr Peter Dodds, Imperial College at Wye, UK. 
  • DIABETES PREVENTION: Nutritional primary prevention of type 1 diabetes.

    Objectives  The overall objective of the project is to determine whether weaning to a casein hydrolysate (Nutramigen TM) during at least the first 6 months of life reduces the incidence of Type 1 diabetes in genetically susceptible children. An important study question is, whether casein hydrolysate effects are due to the avoidance of complex weaning diets such as cow's milk based formula. This question will be addressed by correlating cow's milk immune responses with autoimmune markers and with diabetes.
    For more information: http://trigr.epi.usf.edu
    Contact: Prof. Dr Hans Aakerblom University of Helsinki, Finland. 

EARNEST

The EARNEST project is a large collaborative investigation into the long-term consequences of early nutrition by metabolic programming.  It brings together a multi-disciplinary team of scientists from 38 institutions in 16 European countries. The project will run from 2005 to 2010 and is being coordinated by Professor Koletzko of the Children's Hospital, University of Munich, Germany.

For more information : http://earnest.web.med.uni-muenchen.de/index2.htm





EU funding of Diabetes/Obesity Research

Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

6th FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME(2002-2006)

5th FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME( 1998-2002)