Time-Sensitive Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation

About the National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The goals of the agency are:

• To foster fundamental creative discoveries, innovative research strategies, and their applications as a basis for ultimately protecting and improving health;
• To develop, maintain, and renew scientific human and physical resources that will ensure the Nation’s capability to prevent disease;
• To expand the knowledge base in medical and associated sciences in order to enhance the Nation’s economic well-being and ensure a continued high return on the public investment in research; and
• To exemplify and promote the highest level of scientific integrity, public accountability, and social responsibility in the conduct of science.

About the Opportunity

Obesity is a major contributor to many serious health conditions that increase morbidity and mortality and reduce the quality of life. The prevalence of obesity in children and adults in the United States has dramatically increased in the past four decades. Nationally, there is an imperative to take action at local, state and federal levels. While helping people achieve and maintain a healthy weight is a critical public health goal, there are many gaps in knowledge regarding the effectiveness of large scale policies and programs that could help achieve this goal at the population level or any differential effects on sub-populations. Rigorous scientific evaluation of these policies and programs can help build an evidence base to better inform policy public health approaches to prevent excess weight gain and/or improve weight management.

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is intended to encourage and support research in which a unique and time-sensitive opportunity has arisen to collect baseline data and then prospectively assess the effectiveness of an imminent policy or program that is likely to prevent or reduce obesity in a given population (e.g. reduce energy intake, increase activity, or decrease sedentary behavior).

Scope of Work 

Applications submitted to this FOA should demonstrate that measures collected and evaluated will allow for meaningful and scientifically valid conclusions to be made about the effects of the policy or program on the target behaviors and/or weight. Examples of appropriate studies include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Introduction of food or beverage taxes/subsidies/price changes/other incentives;
• Infrastructure initiatives such as retailers or other public venues offering healthier food options in underserved areas;
• Changes to workplace food and/or physical activity environment;
• Polices expected to influence available options and purchasing, such as calorie labeling in restaurants, menu or food product reformulation, and supermarket layout or pricing strategies;
• Significant changes in policy or practice in large healthcare organizations that are expected to improve weight outcomes; such as changes in reimbursement, incentives, or wide-scale implementation of prevention or treatment services;
• Modifications to the built environment to encourage active transportation or leisure physical activity, such as the implementation of bike lanes in urban areas, multi-use trails, subsidies for public transit, upgrades of sidewalks, or improved access to parks and recreation facilities.

There are several distinguishing features of time-sensitive obesity program and/or policy research evaluations:

• The research question must clearly offer an uncommon and scientifically compelling research opportunity that will only be available in the evaluation research component is initiated with minimum delay.
• The plan for the collection of baseline and follow-up data must be feasible.

Eligibility

Higher Education Institutions

• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education
• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

For-Profit Organizations

• Small Businesses
• For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Governments

• State Governments
• County Governments
• City or Township Governments
• Special District Governments
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Independent School Districts
• Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
• Regional Organizations

Applications are due September 10, 2021.