Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Stimulating Research to Understand and Address Hunger, Food, and Nutrition Insecurity

Based on research topic, choose the appropriate contact from the NOSI or the related announcement.

This opportunity is a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) for research on interventions that address nutrition security and the mechanisms of food insecurity on a variety of health outcomes. Priority populations include racial/ethnic minority populations, lower income populations, and rural and remote populations including tribal communities and insular areas.

Research examples include, but are not limited to:

• Development and testing of interventions, innovative programs, and natural experiments:
  • Research to test innovative or existing interventions, programs, policies designed to positively affect the availability, access, and affordability of nutritious foods and healthy diets for populations who experience health disparities and vulnerable groups, including minority populations; rural communities; older adults; children/youth and those with special needs; or disabled individuals in multiple settings
  • Research to examine the effectiveness of "Food as Medicine" initiatives that include produce prescription programs, medically tailored meals, and integration of nutrition programs in the healthcare setting
  • Evaluation of multi-level, multicomponent interventions designed to reduce nutrition and food insecurity through improvements to neighborhood/community the food environment and their impact on health outcomes, with those that explicitly consider health equity and the social determinants of health
  • Natural experiment research to examine the impact of policies related to the social determinants of health on food insecurity and health outcomes
• Identification of key risk factors and mechanistic pathways through epidemiological research:
  • Mechanistic studies exploring the biological and behavioral mechanisms and pathways underpinning the influence of food insecurity on cancer, diabetes, and cardiometabolic disease, including key risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and inflammatory markers
  • Research to understand the influence of food insecurity on disease prevention, management and progression, including for cancer, HIV, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease
  • Examination of the health effects of the intersectionality between household food insecurity and the social determinants of health as a factor underlying health disparities
  • Studies to investigate barriers to nutrition security including social, organizational, and policy factors and their role in shaping health outcomes and reducing health disparities
  • Examination of how climate change and extreme weather-related disasters affects food production and availability, access, quality, utilization, and stability of food systems
• Development, validation, and evaluation of tools to measure food insecurity and nutrition security:
  • Evaluation of novel approaches to screen for and address food insecurity within the healthcare settings in individuals with or at risk of chronic disease
  • Development of valid measurements for nutrition security to operationalize the various components of nutrition security including food access, quality, and affordability to maintain optimal health
  • Development of methodologies and alternative measures to characterize current food retail environments and consumer behavior, specific to nutrition security and access to healthy, affordable food

Specific Areas of Research Interest by national institute are listed on the NOSI.

Eligible applicants include:

• Higher education institutions
  • Public/state controlled institutions
  • Private institutions
• Nonprofit organizations
  • With 501(c)(3) status
  • Without 501(c)(3) status
  • Native American tribal organizations
  • Faith-based or community-based organizations
  • Regional organizations
• Governments
  • State
  • County
  • City or township
  • Special districts
  • Federally recognized Indian/Native American tribal governments
  • Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
  • Eligible agencies of the federal government
  • U.S. territory or possession
• Other
  • Independent school districts
  • Public housing authorities
  • Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • For-profit organizations

Award amounts are determined by the related announcement.

This Notice of Special Interest is attached to related NIH announcements listed in the NOSI document.

Applicants should submit proposals to the related announcement and indicate that it is a response to the NOSI.

Investigators planning to submit an application are strongly encouraged to contact and discuss their proposed research with program staff well in advance of the anticipated submission date to better determine appropriateness and interest.

This NOSI expires on November 29, 2024.