CSREES Obesity & Healthy Weight Program

[EVENTS] American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo, November 6-9, 2010

27 Jan 2010 20:34:54 GMT

American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo, November 6-9, 2010

[EVENTS] Society for Nutrition Education Annual Conference, July 24-27, 2010

27 Jan 2010 20:34:34 GMT

Society for Nutrition Education Annual Conference, July 24-27, 2010

[EVENTS] Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo, July 17-20, 2010

27 Jan 2010 20:34:09 GMT

Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo, July 17-20, 2010

[EVENTS] International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, June 9-12, 2010

27 Jan 2010 20:33:55 GMT

International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, June 9-12, 2010

[EVENTS] Experimental Biology Annual Meeting (includes American Society for Nutrition), April 24-28, 2010

27 Jan 2010 20:22:47 GMT

Experimental Biology Annual Meeting (includes American Society for Nutrition), April 24-28, 2010

[IMPACT] Family dynamics are important for successful childhood obesity interventions, according to Oklahoma State University scientists.

8 Aug 2008 14:32:29 GMT

[EVENTS] 3 New Obesity & Healthy Weight Program Related Events

8 Aug 2008 14:30:32 GMT

[FUNDING OPPORTUNITY] Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

16 Jul 2008 15:08:12 GMT

Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) was established to solve critical industry issues through research and extension activities. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops including floriculture. SCRI will give priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary; and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics; efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to pollinators; efforts to improve production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term; new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops.

Special Notation

More SCRI Information

Who Is Eligible to Apply

1862 Land-Grant Institutions

1890 Land-Grant Institutions

1994 Land-Grant Institutions

For-profit Organizations Other Than Small Businesses

Individuals

Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than Institutions of Higher Ed

Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than Institutions of Higher Ed

Other or Additional Information (See below)

Private Institutions of Higher Ed

State Agricultural Experiment Stations

State Controlled Institutions of Higher Ed

More Information on Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State agricultural experiment stations, individuals, or groups consisting of 2 or more of these entities.

Request for Application (RFA) | Apply: Electronic

Solicitation Date (Opening)	July 14, 2008
Letter of Intent Due Date	None
Due Date (Closing)	August 14, 2008
Anticipated Award Date	None
Estimated Total Program Funding	$28,400,000.00
Range of Awards	$0.00 to $6,000,000.00
Percent of Applications Funded Last Fiscal Year	0%
Cost Sharing Requirements	100 %
For More Information Contact	Thomas (Tom) Bewick
Funding Opportunity Number	USDA-CSREES-SCRI-001765
CFDA Number	10.309 Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Contact for Electronic Access Problems	webcomments@csrees.usda.gov

[EVENT] Working Group Report on Future Research Directions in Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment, NIH, Bethesda, MD, August 21-22, 2008.

19 Jun 2008 14:13:56 GMT

[IMPACT] Researchers at University of Washington find healthy, low-calories foods cost more than high-calorie foods.

7 May 2008 19:15:20 GMT

Healthy, Low-Calorie Foods Cost More on Average

Adam Drewnowski, Director of the Center for Public Health and Nutrition, University of Washington.

Recent studies show that the cost of high-calorie foods are less likely to be affected by inflation and, on average, cost less than low-calorie foods. With obesity plaguing the United States, this trend may hinder low-income families from adopting a low-calorie diet. Funding from USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) enabled researchers at the University of Washington to examine the price trends of different food choices.

Adam Drewnowski, director of the Center for Public Health and Nutrition at the University of Washington, and colleagues checked the prices of 372 foods sold at local supermarkets in the Seattle area, comparing the prices with calorie density. High-calorie foods included items like peanut butter and granola, while the lowest-calorie foods were mostly fresh fruits and vegetables.

Defined this way, low-calorie foods tend to be rich in nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Conversely, high-calorie foods are rich in calories, but tend to be low in nutrients. The study found that lower-calorie foods cost more per calorie, while more calorie-dense foods showed a lower cost per calorie. Bargain shoppers get a better deal purchasing high-calorie foods rather than low-calorie foods. This study then explored the effect of inflation on the lower- versus higher-calorie foods.

The researchers found the price of calorie-dense food was less likely to rise as a result of inflation. During the 2-year study, the price of high-calorie food decreased by 1.8 percent, whereas the price of low-calorie foods increased by 19.5 percent. Considering most bargain shoppers are trying to stretch their incomes as far as possible, the findings may help explain why the highest rates of obesity are among people in lower-income groups.

Based on a standard 2000-calorie diet, the researchers found a diet consisting primarily of calorie-dense foods costs $3.52 a day, but a diet consisting primarily of low-calorie food costs $36.32 a day. The average American eats a variety of foods throughout the day, spending $7 a day.

"If you have $3 to feed yourself, your choices gravitate toward foods which give you the most calories per dollar,'' Drewnowski said. "Not only are the empty calories cheaper, but the healthy foods are becoming more and more expensive. Fresh vegetables and fruits are rapidly becoming luxury goods."

Those facts may better explain the popularity of calorie-dense foods in the food selection patterns among groups with limited economic resources. Nutrition education programs can address this challenge and provide additional help for planning healthy meals.

The USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) funded this research project through the NRI Human Nutrition and Obesity program. Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.

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