A joint programming initiative to study determinants of diet and physical activity across Europe: DEDIPAC

Yesterday and today 30+ scientists from 7 countries in Europe met as the main writing team to prepare a proposal for the first pilot of the Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) 'A healthy diet for a healthy life'. This JPI's vision is to ensure that all consumers across Europe have the motivation, ability and opportunity to eat a healthy diet and be physically active.
The JPI has three main pillars:
1. Determinants of diet and physical activity
2. Diet and food production
3. Diet-related chronic disease

The Knowledge Hub on the DEterminants of DIet and Physical Activity. In the framework of DEDIPAC, a network of selected research groups and scientists from 12 JPI Member States will carry out a programme of joint trans- und multidisciplinary activities for a better understanding on how individual, social and environmental determinants influence food and physical activity choices. A few weeks ago, I was elected coordinator of this DEDIPAC knowledge hub. DEDIPAC has three thematic areas:

Thematic Area A: Data Assessment and Harmonization, led by Prof. Pieter van t Veer, Wageningen University and Research Center
Thematic Area B: Analysis of Determinants, led by Prof. Nanna Lien, University of Oslo
Thematic Area C: Interventions and Policies, led by Prof. Ilse de Bourdeaudhuij, University of Ghent
In the last two days these thematic areas were specified in work packages, tasks and deliverables to be strived for in the next few years to build a better research and monitoring infrastructure for such determinant research across Europe.