NIH: Research on the Economics of Diet, Activity, and Energy Balance

Sponsor: The National Institutes of Health (NIH)

This FOA is intended to make funding opportunities in the area of energy balance (i.e., the relationship between diet, physical activity, and obesity) known to researchers with expertise and experience in health economics and health services research who might otherwise not be aware of the opportunity to apply these disciplines to this area. This FOA also aims to foster collaborative activities between researchers from these disciplines and more traditional researchers of cancer and other chronic diseases. Research areas supported by this FOA include: consumer economics, industrial organization, community structure, policy, cost-effectiveness/cost benefit studies. A multidisciplinary research approach that integrates economics research in one or more of these areas with knowledge and methodologies from other social and behavioral sciences, and/or with epidemiological and clinical research is strongly encouraged.

Examples of the types of research topics and approaches that would be relevant areas of investigation for the development of R21 grant applications under this FOA include, but are not limited to:

Consumer Economics

Studies of how innovative methods, such as conjoint analysis, experimental economics, behavior economics, disequilibrium analysis, multi-level analysis, and innovative consumer and producer survey design and administration can be applied to better understand the underlying factors that mediate the process of economic choice related to diet and physical activity. We view consumer economic choice as decisions made about consumption in response to prices, incomes, wealth, and other individual resource endowments, as well as broader factors that determine available consumption opportunities and information about consumption goods.

Studies designed to understand better the impacts of, and interactions of such variables as biological factors, educational and other cognitive resources, access to informational resources, cultural values, socioeconomic status, and family and occupational histories on the process of economic choice related to diet and physical activity.

Studies designed to better understand how the process of economic choices related to diet and physical activity evolves over the life-cycle of individuals as well as the possible roles of intergenerational factors.

Studies of factors related to the individual's use of information in making economic choices about diet and physical activity in the context of rapid change in informational resources and consumption opportunities.

Studies of how family structure, labor market participation, and role functions affect economic choices about diet and physical activity.

Studies of how individual- and family-time resources and time allocations within and between work and leisure activities affect economic choices about diet and physical activity.

Studies of how individual and family decisions about methods of food preparation and home versus restaurant consumption affect diet.

Studies of how the mental and physical health status of individual affects economic choices about diet and physical activity.

Industrial Organization

Studies on how technological and organizational changes in the food production, distribution, and marketing systems ultimately affect economic choices related to diet and physical activity.

Studies of how occupational structure, workplace constraints, time, activities, and workplace programs and policies affect opportunities and choices related to diet and physical activity.

Studies of how competition for market share and business profitability affects the consumption of diet and physical activity-related goods and related informational resources that are available to consumers.

Studies of how health insurance coverage and/or healthcare reimbursement policies affect the scope of preventive, diagnostics, and treatment services related to prevention or management of overweight and obesity that are available through the healthcare delivery system.

Community Structure

Studies about how policies and economic factors related to public finance, transportation, land-use, zoning, and education may influence the distribution and structure of goods and resources related to choices and opportunities about diet and physical activity between and within communities.

Studies of how residential segregation, unequal levels of community development, or inadequate provision of public resources may result in health disparities related choices and opportunities about diet and physical activity.

Studies of programs and policies designed to reduce the misallocation and maldistribution of public goods and resources related to choices and opportunities about diet and physical activity.

Policy

Studies of policy changes in the provision of information (e.g., regulation of advertising, label requirements) to determine the impact of Federal, State, or local policies on individual economic choices related to diet and physical activity.

Studies to determine factors related to the effective communication of publicly provided or mandated information related to individual economic choices about diet and physical activity.

Studies about the design and implementation of government and private sector food aid and/or transfer programs in relationship to individual choices about diet.

Studies about the design of existing Federal, State, and local taxation, subsidy, and other incentive programs in relationship to individual choices about diet and physical activity and studies about the theory and design of innovative taxation, subsidy, and other incentive programs meant to influence choices about diet or physical activity. “Natural experiments” of proposed or ongoing changes in policy, including, for example, studies of the efficacy of proposed policy changes in schools concerning food offerings and/or physical activity.

Cost-effectiveness/Cost-Benefit Studies

Studies of feasibility, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, or cost-benefit of interventions as well as programs and policies designed to improve behavior and health outcomes related to diet and physical activity, including programs of administered pricing or health promotion in school, workplace, healthcare delivery, or other community organizational settings.

Amount: Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed 2 years. Although the size of award may vary with the scope of research proposed, it is expected that applications will stay within the budgetary guidelines for an exploratory/developmental project; direct costs are limited to $275,000 over an R21 2-year period, with no more than $200,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year. Applicants may request direct costs in $25,000 modules, up to the total direct costs limitation of $275,000 for the combined 2-year award period. NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this Program Announcement funding opportunity.

Deadline: February 16, June 16, and October 16

Expiration Date: November 2, 2007

For further information, please visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-292.html