Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 304
Apply for PAR 16 304
- The HHS-NIH11 in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ancillary Studies to Identify Behavioral and/or Psychological Phenotypes Contributing to Obesity (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 01, 2016 and posted on Jun 01, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 28, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
This grant opportunity, titled "Ancillary Studies to Identify Behavioral and/or Psychological Phenotypes Contributing to Obesity (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 16-304), is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant initiative housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is designed to fund human research that adds new measurements to either existing studies or newly launched studies, specifically to help explain why people differ so much in their weight patterns over time and in how they respond to obesity prevention or treatment programs. The central idea is that many studies already capture biomedical, demographic, or intervention outcomes, but often do not capture enough detailed behavioral and psychological data to explain individual variability in weight trajectory or treatment response. This FOA aims to fill that gap by supporting ancillary or add-on measurements that extend beyond what a parent study is already measuring, so investigators can pinpoint behavioral and psychological phenotypes linked to obesity risk, weight gain, weight loss, or weight regain.
A key emphasis of the announcement is on identifying phenotypes, meaning consistent, measurable profiles of behavior and/or psychology that help account for differences between individuals. In practical terms, this could include adding validated assessments, tasks, observations, or objective monitoring that illuminate how people regulate eating and how those patterns relate to weight outcomes. The FOA explicitly encourages adding measures of psychological and behavioral constructs as well as weight-related variables such as body mass index (BMI) or body composition. The goal is not simply to collect more data, but to strategically add measurement domains that were not part of the original scope of the parent grant, allowing researchers to test whether certain behavioral tendencies or psychological processes help explain why one person gains weight while another does not, or why one participant benefits from an intervention while another shows little change.
The announcement defines behavioral factors related to energy intake broadly and in a way that goes beyond self-report. It highlights overt actions and observable behaviors during eating events, such as objectively measuring how much someone eats, what foods they choose (including nutritional quality), and the speed or pace of intake. Alongside these visible behaviors, it also underscores underlying psychological mechanisms that shape self-regulation of intake. These include cognitive control (for example, the ability to resist impulses or maintain goal-directed eating), affective response (how emotions influence appetite, cravings, and eating choices), learning (such as conditioning, habit formation, and responses to food cues), and motivation (including reward sensitivity and goal valuation). By funding the addition of these kinds of measures, the FOA is pushing the field toward a more precise and mechanistic understanding of energy intake behavior rather than relying only on broad dietary recall or generalized questionnaires.
The rationale driving the opportunity is that obesity prevention and treatment are often less effective than hoped because people are not all the same, and interventions that work for some individuals may be ineffective for others. By improving understanding of the individual characteristics and processes that drive patterns of energy intake and related weight outcomes, researchers can eventually help clinicians and public health practitioners match individuals to the prevention or treatment approaches most likely to work for them. In the longer run, this phenotype-focused approach is intended to reveal novel intervention targets, meaning new behavioral or psychological processes that could be modified to improve weight management at both individual and population levels. In other words, the FOA is not only about prediction (who will respond), but also about identifying actionable mechanisms (why they respond and what can be changed).
From an administrative standpoint, the mechanism is an R01 research project grant, and the opportunity is categorized under discretionary funding with activity areas listed as Food and Nutrition and Health. The CFDA numbers associated with it are 93.847 (commonly linked to diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolic disease research portfolios) and 93.853 (often linked to behavioral and social science research areas), which fits the FOA's blend of weight-related outcomes and behavioral-psychological measurement. The posting and creation date were June 1, 2016, and the listed closing date for the opportunity was February 28, 2019, indicating this specific announcement cycle has ended, even though its content still reflects the NIH's broader priorities around obesity, behavior, and precision approaches to intervention.
Eligibility for applicants is broad and includes many typical NIH-eligible organizations: federal recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations, state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, with a catch-all "Others" category referencing additional eligibility clarifications in the full FOA. The administering agency is NIH (listed as HHS-NIH11), consistent with NIH-wide efforts to advance behavioral science and obesity research using rigorous measurement and well-characterized human samples.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a push to leverage existing investments in human studies by adding carefully chosen behavioral and psychological measures that can clarify individual differences in weight status and intervention response. Rather than funding entirely separate stand-alone projects that start from scratch, it encourages researchers to build on current or planned studies and enrich them with measurement that can uncover phenotypes tied to self-regulation, affect, learning, motivation, and observable eating behavior. The intended payoff is a stronger evidence base for tailoring obesity interventions, improving effectiveness, and identifying new leverage points for prevention and treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Ancillary Studies to Identify Behavioral and/or Psychological Phenotypes Contributing to Obesity (R01)."
What is the funding opportunity number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR 16-304.
Which agency administers this opportunity?
The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The listing references NIH as HHS-NIH11.
What type of grant mechanism is used?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The purpose is to fund human research that adds new measurements to an existing study or a newly launched study so researchers can better explain why people differ in weight patterns over time and why they respond differently to obesity prevention or treatment programs.
What does "ancillary studies" mean in this announcement?
In this FOA, ancillary studies are add-on (supplemental) measurements that extend beyond what a parent study is already measuring. The intent is to leverage an existing or newly launched human study and enrich it with additional behavioral and/or psychological measurement domains that were not part of the original scope.
Is this intended for human research?
Yes. The opportunity is described as designed to fund human research.
What problem is the FOA trying to address?
Many studies already collect biomedical, demographic, or intervention outcomes, but often lack sufficiently detailed behavioral and psychological data to explain individual differences in weight trajectory (weight gain, loss, or regain) or differences in response to obesity prevention or treatment interventions.
What kind of variability is this FOA focused on explaining?
It focuses on explaining why individuals differ in their weight patterns over time and why individuals differ in how they respond to obesity prevention or treatment programs (including why some benefit and others show little change).
What does the FOA mean by "phenotypes" in this context?
Phenotypes here refers to consistent, measurable behavioral and/or psychological profiles that help account for differences between individuals related to obesity risk and weight outcomes.
What outcomes or weight-related variables are encouraged to be included?
The FOA explicitly encourages adding measures of weight-related variables such as body mass index (BMI) or body composition, along with behavioral and psychological constructs.
What kinds of behavioral factors related to energy intake are emphasized?
The FOA emphasizes behavioral factors related to energy intake in a broad way that goes beyond self-report, including overt and observable behaviors during eating events.
What are examples of overt or observable eating behaviors mentioned?
Examples include objectively measuring how much someone eats, what foods they choose (including nutritional quality), and the speed or pace of intake.
Does the FOA encourage moving beyond self-report measures?
Yes. It highlights behavioral factors and measurement approaches that go beyond self-report, including objective measurement of eating behaviors.
What psychological mechanisms are highlighted as relevant to energy intake and self-regulation?
The FOA highlights underlying psychological mechanisms shaping self-regulation of intake, including cognitive control, affective response, learning, and motivation.
What is meant by cognitive control in this FOA?
Cognitive control is described as the ability to resist impulses or maintain goal-directed eating.
What is meant by affective response in this FOA?
Affective response refers to how emotions influence appetite, cravings, and eating choices.
What is meant by learning in this FOA?
Learning includes processes such as conditioning, habit formation, and responses to food cues.
What is meant by motivation in this FOA?
Motivation includes concepts such as reward sensitivity and goal valuation.
Is the FOA mainly about collecting more data?
No. The intent is to strategically add measurement domains that were not part of the original scope of the parent study, so researchers can test whether specific behavioral tendencies or psychological processes explain differences in weight outcomes or intervention response.
What is the long-term goal of identifying behavioral and psychological phenotypes?
The longer-term goal is to improve understanding of individual characteristics and processes that drive energy intake and related weight outcomes, which can support better matching of individuals to prevention or treatment approaches and reveal novel, actionable intervention targets.
How does this FOA relate to tailoring or precision approaches in obesity intervention?
By clarifying why people respond differently to interventions and identifying consistent behavioral/psychological profiles linked to outcomes, the phenotype-focused approach is intended to support better targeting and tailoring of obesity prevention and treatment approaches.
Does the FOA focus only on predicting who will respond to treatment?
No. It is described as aiming at both prediction (who will respond) and identifying actionable mechanisms (why they respond and what can be changed).
What activity areas are listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under discretionary funding with activity areas listed as Food and Nutrition and Health.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.847 and 93.853.
When was this opportunity posted, and when did it close?
The posting and creation date is listed as June 1, 2016. The listed closing date was February 28, 2019.
Is this specific announcement cycle still open?
No. Based on the listed closing date of February 28, 2019, this specific opportunity cycle has ended.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad and includes: federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations; state and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and an "Others" category referencing additional eligibility clarifications in the full FOA.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations are explicitly listed as eligible applicants.
Are state and local governments eligible?
Yes. State and local governments are listed as eligible applicants.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Public and private institutions of higher education are included in the eligibility list.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible, including those without 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible.
Are for-profit entities eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are listed as eligible, and small businesses are also listed separately as eligible.
Are public housing authorities eligible?
Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are included in the eligibility list.
Does this FOA fund stand-alone projects starting from scratch?
The FOA is characterized as encouraging researchers to leverage existing investments by adding carefully chosen measures to existing studies or newly launched studies, rather than funding entirely separate stand-alone projects that start from scratch.
What kinds of parent studies does this FOA seek to build on?
It is intended to add new measurements to either existing studies or newly launched studies, using those as the parent studies for ancillary/add-on measurements.
What is the overall takeaway of this opportunity?
Overall, it supports adding targeted behavioral and psychological measures to human studies to identify phenotypes related to obesity risk and weight outcomes, with the goal of improving understanding of individual differences and ultimately improving prevention and treatment effectiveness through better targeting and new intervention leverage points.
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