Nutrition and Mental Health

The main goal of this opportunity is to address how nutrition and diet impact mental health and well-being across different age groups and social contexts. It aims to improve healthy diets, monitor the effects of unhealthy diets on mental health, and strengthen science-based communication to policymakers and professionals. The opportunity emphasizes the vital link between nutrition and mental health, encourages collaboration among various actors, and supports the co-creation of solutions for sustainable food systems. Geographic focus includes EU Member States, Associated Countries, certain non-EU countries, and regions such as Central and Eastern Europe as well as the EU-Africa Partnership. Efforts are also encouraged in widening countries and EU outermost regions.

• Proposals must follow the required page limits and layout as specified in the application guidelines.
• Projects must use a multi-actor approach, involving all relevant stakeholders (industry, nutritionists, healthcare professionals, scientists, patients, consumer associations).
• Applicants must demonstrate strong financial and operational capabilities.
• Projects are evaluated against set criteria and thresholds during the selection process.
• Eligible costs must align with the lump sum funding model.
• Proposals should include Social Sciences and Humanities, avoid overlapping with existing projects, and dedicate resources for collaboration.
• Projects should focus on nutrition deficiencies or excesses, citizen engagement, and ensure data is FAIR.

Examples:

• A multi-country study involving hospitals, universities, and patient groups to monitor how dietary interventions affect mental health in teenagers.
• A project co-designed with consumer associations and food industry partners to promote sustainable diets and analyze their impact on community well-being.
• An initiative involving scientists, civil society, and policymakers to develop new communication tools for healthy eating, ensuring all data produced is accessible and reusable.

• Personnel costs for researchers, project managers, and support staff
• Costs for equipment and materials directly related to the project
• Travel and subsistence expenses for project-related activities
• Costs for organizing workshops, seminars, or stakeholder meetings
• Subcontracting of specialized tasks or services
• Communication, dissemination, and publication expenses
• Data management and IT infrastructure costs
• Costs for citizen and stakeholder engagement activities
• Training and capacity-building activities

Expenses must fit within the lump sum funding model and be directly linked to the project’s objectives.

• Budget for this Call: 10.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 2
• Budget per project: 5.000.000€

• Proposals must meet specific page limits and formatting requirements.
• Applicants must be from eligible countries, including EU Member States, Associated Countries, and certain non-EU countries with specific provisions.
• Applicants must show they have the financial and operational capacity to carry out the project.
• Projects must use a multi-actor approach, involving relevant stakeholders across the food and health value chain.
• Proposals must address evaluation and selection criteria as outlined in the guidelines.
• Proposals should involve Social Sciences and Humanities, and include collaboration with other funded projects on this topic.
• Data produced must be FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable).