Improving Diet and Physical Activity Assessment (R01) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Improving Diet and Physical Activity Assessment (R01) opportunity?

Improving Diet and Physical Activity Assessment (R01) is an NIH research grant opportunity focused on strengthening how researchers measure dietary intake (what people eat) and physical activity (how active people are). The goal is to improve the underlying science of assessment so research findings are more accurate and reliable.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-12-198.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The central purpose is to encourage innovative research that reduces error and improves precision in dietary intake and physical activity assessment. NIH highlights that weak measurement can undermine studies across many health outcomes, including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, child health, and aging.

Which NIH organizations sponsor or participate in this opportunity?

The opportunity is sponsored by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices with interests in nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and behavioral measurement, including NIDDK, NCI, NHLBI, NIAAA, NICHD, NINR, and the NIH Office of the Director Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS).

What type of grant mechanism is used?

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 funding instrument, which generally supports substantial, investigator-initiated research projects.

What kinds of projects are expected to be competitive under this FOA?

Projects are expected to go beyond routine use of existing questionnaires or monitors and instead improve the science of assessment itself. The FOA emphasizes innovation that strengthens measurement accuracy, reduces burden, and improves the quality and interpretability of diet and physical activity data.

Does this program fund routine use of existing diet or physical activity questionnaires and monitors?

The FOA indicates funded projects are expected to go beyond routine use of existing questionnaires or monitors. The emphasis is on improving methods, tools, validation, and analytical approaches rather than simply applying standard instruments without advancing the measurement science.

What are the major research directions highlighted in the announcement?

The announcement highlights several directions, including: developing novel assessment approaches; improving methods to evaluate instruments (such as validation, reliability testing, calibration, and comparisons to objective reference measures); designing assessment tools for culturally diverse populations and different life stages (explicitly including older adults); leveraging improved technology or creative applications of existing technology; and developing statistical methods to address measurement error and bias.

What does "novel assessment approaches" mean in this context?

It refers to developing new tools or frameworks that more accurately capture diet or physical activity in real-world settings, rather than relying only on established approaches. The goal is to improve how behaviors are captured as they occur in day-to-day life.

What kinds of instrument evaluation improvements does the FOA encourage?

The FOA encourages better ways to evaluate assessment instruments, including improved validation strategies, reliability testing, calibration methods, and approaches that compare tools against objective reference measures.

Why does the FOA emphasize culturally diverse populations and different life stages?

The FOA notes that diet and physical activity behaviors, reporting patterns, literacy, and technology access can vary across communities and age groups. It explicitly includes older adults and supports work that improves assessment across diverse cultural contexts and life stages.

What role does technology play in this opportunity?

The FOA encourages improved technology or creative applications of existing technology that reduce respondent burden and improve data quality. Examples mentioned include mobile tools, sensors, wearables, imaging, and web-based platforms.

What is meant by "measurement error and bias" for diet and physical activity?

Diet and physical activity are difficult to measure accurately, especially using self-report methods. The FOA points to common issues like recall limitations, social desirability bias, and misestimation of portion sizes or the intensity and duration of movement.

What types of analytical or statistical methods does the FOA invite?

The opportunity invites research on analytical approaches that quantify, correct, or adjust for measurement error and bias. Examples described include error modeling, calibration equations, bias correction, and approaches that strengthen inference when measurement is imperfect.

Does the FOA encourage measuring diet and physical activity as patterns rather than single numbers?

Yes. The FOA recognizes these behaviors as multidimensional and encourages methods that capture patterns and context. Examples include dietary pattern analysis (rather than single nutrients) and activity patterns across the day (rather than only total minutes).

Does the FOA support integrating environmental context into assessment?

Yes. The FOA encourages integrated measurement of diet and physical activity together with environmental context that shapes these behaviors, such as location, built environment, access to foods, and situational factors influencing eating and movement.

What activity categories are associated with this opportunity?

The activity categories listed in the source data span education, food and nutrition, health, and social services, reflecting the broad relevance of improved measurement to biomedical and population research.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The record states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. institutions and organizations. Eligible applicants include state and local governments (including county and city governments), special district governments, independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses.

Are specific institution types (such as minority-serving institutions or tribal entities) explicitly included?

Yes. The FOA explicitly includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), Native American tribal organizations, federally recognized tribal governments, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and federal agencies.

Are foreign (non-U.S.) institutions eligible?

Yes. Foreign institutions are eligible to apply. The FOA also allows non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations and foreign components as defined by NIH policy.

What does the eligibility language imply about international collaboration?

Because foreign institutions, non-U.S. organizational components, and foreign components (per NIH policy) are allowed, the FOA supports international collaboration and cross-cultural measurement development.

When was this FOA posted and when did it close?

The record shows the FOA was posted on June 6, 2012, with an original closing date of September 7, 2015.

Is this funding opportunity still active?

The record indicates an archive date of May 2, 2015, and describes the announcement as historical rather than currently active. That said, it still reflects NIH priorities and the types of measurement-focused research NIH has sought to fund.

Where can the official NIH announcement be found?

The official NIH announcement is linked at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-198.html

Who is the listed contact for access or linking issues related to the announcement?

The contact listed for access or linking issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.