Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 010
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PA-18-010) supports research projects aimed at improving how scientists measure what people eat and how physically active they are. The central goal is to strengthen the quality, accuracy, and usefulness of dietary intake and physical activity measurements, since these data are foundational for understanding health outcomes, designing effective interventions, and shaping public health guidance. The mechanism is an R01 research project grant, and clinical trials are allowed but not required, meaning applicants may propose observational, methodological, or intervention-related work as long as the focus is on advancing assessment methodology.
The FOA places a clear emphasis on innovation in measurement. It encourages the development of entirely new assessment approaches as well as meaningful improvements to existing tools. This can include designing better self-report instruments (for example, recalls, questionnaires, logs, or ecological momentary assessment approaches), creating or refining objective measures (such as wearable sensors and device-based tracking), and building hybrid systems that combine self-report with technology-generated data in a way that improves validity and reduces burden. A major theme is rigor: not just creating tools, but improving how tools are evaluated, calibrated, and validated so that resulting data are more accurate and comparable across studies.
A key priority is ensuring that assessment methods work well for culturally diverse populations and across different life stages. The announcement explicitly highlights the need for tools that are appropriate for various age groups, including children and older adults, where measurement challenges can be different (for instance, reliance on caregivers for reporting in children, cognitive or functional limitations in older adults, or differences in typical activity patterns and dietary habits across groups). Proposals that address cultural relevance, language, literacy, and real-world feasibility in diverse communities align strongly with the intent of the FOA, because measurement bias and poor fit can lead to systematic errors that distort research findings and widen health inequities.
Technology development and improved applications of existing technology are also central to this opportunity. Projects might involve smartphones, image-based food records, barcode scanning, passive sensing, GPS and location context, accelerometry and other wearables, or emerging sensor approaches that can better capture intensity, type, and timing of physical activity or features of dietary intake. The FOA is interested in practical advances, such as reducing participant burden, improving adherence and completeness of data capture, enhancing real-time data collection, and making tools scalable for larger studies or community settings.
The FOA also invites work on statistical methods and modeling to improve assessment and to address measurement error and bias. This includes developing analytic techniques that correct for systematic underreporting or overreporting, integrating multiple imperfect measures to estimate "true" intake or activity, improving calibration methods against reference standards, and building models that can handle missing data, reactivity (people changing behavior because they are being measured), and day-to-day variation. Because dietary intake and physical activity are notoriously difficult to measure precisely, robust error correction and modern modeling approaches can have a large downstream impact on the credibility of nutrition and activity research.
Another highlighted direction is research that treats diet and physical activity as multidimensional behaviors rather than single variables. The FOA encourages pattern analysis and integrated measurement approaches that capture behaviors in context. This can mean studying dietary patterns instead of individual nutrients, characterizing activity across domains (work, leisure, transportation), and linking behavior to environmental context such as where eating and activity occur, neighborhood or built environment factors, and temporal patterns across the day or week. Integrated methods that measure diet and physical activity together, rather than as separate silos, are especially relevant when the objective is to understand how these behaviors interact in real life.
In terms of eligibility, the opportunity is broadly accessible. Eligible applicants include many types of U.S. government entities (state, county, city/township governments; special districts), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, independent school districts, and a wide range of higher education institutions (public/state-controlled and private). Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses may apply. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations are eligible, and the FOA further emphasizes inclusion of institutions and organizations that often serve specific communities. The "other eligible applicants" category explicitly calls out Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). It also notes faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), signaling an openness to a wide range of research settings and partnerships when they strengthen the science of measurement.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant under NIH, with an activity focus spanning education, food and nutrition, and health. Multiple CFDA program numbers are associated with the FOA (93.213, 93.233, 93.273, 93.321, 93.393, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847), reflecting how diet and physical activity measurement research can align with different NIH institutes and disease areas. The source record shows an original closing date of July 17, 2018, and a creation date of November 2, 2017; applicants would typically need to verify whether the opportunity remains active, has been reissued, or has successor announcements, but the scientific priorities described here capture what NIH was seeking to fund through this mechanism.
Overall, the FOA is designed to push the field beyond incremental tweaks by supporting methodological research that makes diet and physical activity data more accurate, less biased, more inclusive, and more context-aware. Projects that combine innovation with strong validation plans, attention to diverse populations, and thoughtful statistical handling of measurement error are especially well aligned with the program’s intent.Apply for PA 18 010
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.233, 93.273, 93.321, 93.393, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-07-17. (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.
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FAQs: NIH "Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (PA-18-010)
What is the goal of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity supports research projects that improve how scientists measure dietary intake (what people eat) and physical activity (how active people are). The emphasis is on strengthening the quality, accuracy, and usefulness of these measurements because they are foundational for linking behavior to health outcomes, designing effective interventions, and informing public health guidance.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and title?
Funding Opportunity Number: PA-18-010. Title: "Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)."
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
The mechanism is an NIH R01 research project grant.
Are clinical trials required?
No. Clinical trials are allowed but not required. Applicants may propose clinical trial work, but they may also propose observational, methodological, or intervention-related research as long as the central focus is advancing assessment methodology for diet and/or physical activity.
What kinds of projects are a good fit?
Projects aimed at developing new measurement approaches or meaningfully improving existing dietary intake and physical activity assessment tools. A strong fit includes work that increases validity, reduces bias, improves comparability across studies, and reduces participant burden while remaining feasible in real-world settings.
Does the FOA emphasize innovation, or can it support improvements to existing tools?
It emphasizes innovation in measurement and supports both entirely new assessment approaches and meaningful improvements to existing tools. The focus is on advances that improve rigor, accuracy, and utility rather than minor tweaks.
What types of dietary assessment methods are within scope?
The FOA encourages work on self-report instruments such as recalls, questionnaires, logs, and ecological momentary assessment approaches, as well as hybrid systems that combine self-report with technology-generated data to improve validity and reduce burden.
What types of physical activity assessment methods are within scope?
The FOA encourages objective measures such as wearable sensors and device-based tracking, as well as technology-assisted and hybrid approaches that better capture intensity, type, and timing of physical activity and improve data completeness and adherence.
Does this opportunity support technology-based measurement development?
Yes. Technology development and improved applications of existing technology are central themes. Example approaches mentioned include smartphones, image-based food records, barcode scanning, passive sensing, GPS and location context, accelerometry and other wearables, and emerging sensor approaches.
What practical improvements does NIH appear to care about for measurement tools?
Practical advances highlighted include reducing participant burden, improving adherence and completeness of data capture, enhancing real-time data collection, and making tools scalable for larger studies or community settings.
How important are validation and calibration plans?
They are a major theme. The FOA stresses rigor not only in creating tools but also in improving how tools are evaluated, calibrated, and validated so resulting data are more accurate and comparable across studies.
Does the FOA address measurement error and bias?
Yes. It explicitly invites work on statistical methods and modeling to improve assessment and address measurement error and bias, including systematic underreporting or overreporting, calibration against reference standards, and integrating multiple imperfect measures to estimate more accurate values.
What analytic or modeling topics are specifically encouraged?
Examples include techniques to correct systematic reporting errors, methods that combine multiple measures to estimate "true" intake or activity, improved calibration methods, models that handle missing data, reactivity (behavior change due to being measured), and day-to-day variation.
Does the FOA encourage studying diet and activity as patterns rather than single variables?
Yes. A highlighted direction is treating diet and physical activity as multidimensional behaviors. This includes pattern analysis (for example, dietary patterns rather than individual nutrients) and characterizing physical activity across domains such as work, leisure, and transportation.
Can projects measure diet and physical activity together?
Yes. Integrated methods that measure diet and physical activity together (rather than in separate silos) are described as especially relevant for understanding how these behaviors interact in real life.
Is capturing context (where and when eating and activity occur) considered relevant?
Yes. The FOA encourages integrated measurement approaches that capture behaviors in context, including links to environmental context (where eating and activity occur), neighborhood or built environment factors, and temporal patterns across the day or week.
Are culturally diverse populations and different life stages a priority?
Yes. A key priority is ensuring assessment methods work well for culturally diverse populations and across different life stages, explicitly including children and older adults where measurement challenges can differ.
What examples of life-stage measurement challenges does the FOA highlight?
It notes differences such as reliance on caregivers for reporting in children, cognitive or functional limitations in older adults, and differences in typical activity patterns and dietary habits across groups.
What population-related considerations are encouraged to reduce bias?
Proposals that address cultural relevance, language, literacy, and real-world feasibility in diverse communities align strongly with the FOA, because poor fit can create systematic errors that distort findings and widen health inequities.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include U.S. state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; independent school districts; and a wide range of public and private higher education institutions.
Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses may apply.
Are tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations are eligible. The eligibility list also notes tribal governments that are not federally recognized.
Are minority-serving institutions explicitly included?
Yes. The FOA explicitly calls out Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly noted in the "other eligible applicants" category.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility information explicitly notes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among other eligible applicants.
What kind of grant is this from an administrative perspective?
It is a discretionary grant under NIH, with an activity focus spanning education, food and nutrition, and health.
Are there CFDA program numbers associated with this FOA?
Yes. Multiple CFDA program numbers are associated with the FOA: 93.213, 93.233, 93.273, 93.321, 93.393, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847. This reflects that diet and physical activity measurement research can align with different NIH institutes and disease areas.
What dates are shown for this opportunity?
The source record shows a creation date of November 2, 2017, and an original closing date of July 17, 2018.
Is this opportunity still open?
Based on the provided information, the original closing date was July 17, 2018. Applicants would typically need to verify whether it remains active, has been reissued, or has a successor announcement. The scientific priorities described reflect what NIH sought to fund through this mechanism.
What kinds of outcomes would indicate strong alignment with the FOA?
Projects that push beyond incremental changes and produce assessment methods that are more accurate, less biased, more inclusive across populations and life stages, more context-aware, and supported by strong validation and calibration plans and thoughtful handling of measurement error.
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