Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 856
Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 18-856) that supports research aimed at improving how dietary intake and physical activity are measured. The core purpose of the program is to strengthen the scientific quality, accuracy, and usefulness of assessment methods used in nutrition and physical activity research, recognizing that measurement error and bias can seriously affect study findings and the conclusions that inform public health guidance and interventions. This is an R01 mechanism, meaning it is intended for substantial, hypothesis-driven or methods-focused research projects rather than small pilot efforts, and it explicitly does not allow clinical trials under this announcement.
The FOA emphasizes innovation in assessment methodology. Projects can focus on developing entirely new ways to capture diet and physical activity behaviors, or on meaningfully improving existing tools so they perform better in real-world settings. This includes creating or refining instruments that reduce participant burden, improve completeness and accuracy of reporting, and perform reliably across different contexts. A major theme is the need for better evaluation methods to test how well instruments work, including validation approaches, reliability testing, and comparisons against reference measures. The FOA also highlights the importance of tools that work well for culturally diverse populations and for different life stages, with explicit mention of children and older adults, where conventional approaches may be less accurate or harder to administer.
Technology development and the novel application of existing technologies are also central to what NIH is seeking. This can include leveraging mobile devices, sensors, wearable activity monitors, image-based food recording, ecological momentary assessment, location and context tracking, or platform-based systems that can capture behavior over time with greater precision. The announcement is not limited to creating new gadgets; it also encourages thoughtful adaptation of tools that already exist, such as improving algorithms, enhancing usability, or integrating multiple data streams to better characterize diet and activity patterns. Alongside technology, the FOA strongly encourages statistical methods and modeling work that improves assessment and helps correct measurement errors or systematic biases, such as methods for calibration, error correction models, improved estimation of usual intake or activity, and analytic strategies that account for misreporting and missingness.
Another key priority is addressing the multidimensional nature of diet and physical activity. Rather than treating behaviors as single variables, the FOA encourages approaches that examine patterns and combinations, such as dietary pattern analysis, clustering, trajectory methods, or integrated metrics that jointly describe diet and activity. It also supports work that situates these behaviors within their environmental context, which could involve linking assessment to neighborhood features, food environments, built environments, time use, social context, or other situational factors that shape behavior. In practice, this means the program is open to measurement systems that combine self-report, objective monitoring, and contextual data to produce a more complete and realistic picture of how people eat and move.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher education institutions); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign (non-U.S.) entities.
In terms of administrative details, the opportunity is categorized under grant funding and aligns with multiple CFDA numbers (93.213, 93.273, 93.307, 93.393, 93.399, 93.847), reflecting its cross-cutting relevance to NIH institutes and centers involved in nutrition, cancer, heart/lung/blood, diabetes/digestive/kidney, and related areas. The original closing date listed in the provided source data is September 7, 2021, and no award ceiling or expected number of awards is specified in the excerpt. Overall, the announcement is best understood as a methods-focused research program designed to push the field toward more accurate, scalable, equitable, and analytically robust ways of measuring diet and physical activity so that downstream biomedical and public health research rests on stronger measurement foundations.Apply for PA 18 856
- 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 Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.273, 93.307, 93.393, 93.399, 93.847.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-07-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-07. (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: Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) - NIH (PA 18-856)
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled "Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) is PA 18-856.
Which agency offers this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of funding mechanism is used?
The FOA uses the R01 mechanism, which is intended for substantial research projects (for example, hypothesis-driven or methods-focused projects), rather than small pilot efforts.
Are clinical trials allowed under this FOA?
No. The announcement explicitly states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed."
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The core purpose is to improve how dietary intake and physical activity are measured. The program aims to strengthen the scientific quality, accuracy, and usefulness of assessment methods used in nutrition and physical activity research, recognizing that measurement error and bias can distort study findings and public health conclusions.
What kinds of projects does NIH want to support through this FOA?
The FOA emphasizes innovation in assessment methodology. Projects may develop entirely new methods to capture diet and physical activity behaviors or meaningfully improve existing tools so they perform better in real-world settings.
Does the FOA support improving existing assessment tools, or only creating new ones?
Both. The FOA supports new approaches as well as meaningful improvements to existing instruments, including better performance, usability, completeness, and accuracy.
What are examples of improvements the FOA is looking for in assessment instruments?
Examples described in the FOA include reducing participant burden, improving completeness and accuracy of reporting, and ensuring tools perform reliably across different contexts.
How important are validation and evaluation methods in this FOA?
They are a major theme. The FOA highlights the need for better evaluation methods to test how well instruments work, including validation approaches, reliability testing, and comparisons against reference measures.
Does the FOA prioritize tools for certain populations or life stages?
Yes. The FOA highlights the importance of tools that work well for culturally diverse populations and across life stages, explicitly mentioning children and older adults where conventional approaches may be less accurate or harder to administer.
What role does technology play in the types of projects NIH is seeking?
Technology development and novel application of existing technologies are central priorities. The FOA encourages projects that leverage technologies to capture behavior over time with greater precision, including mobile devices, sensors, wearable activity monitors, image-based food recording, ecological momentary assessment, and location/context tracking.
Does this FOA require inventing new devices or "gadgets"?
No. The FOA is not limited to creating new devices. It also encourages thoughtful adaptation of existing tools, such as improving algorithms, enhancing usability, or integrating multiple data streams.
Are statistical methods and modeling approaches within scope?
Yes. The FOA strongly encourages statistical methods and modeling work that improves assessment and helps correct measurement errors or systematic biases. Examples include calibration methods, error correction models, improved estimation of usual intake or activity, and analytic strategies that account for misreporting and missing data.
Does the FOA support approaches that treat diet and physical activity as patterns rather than single variables?
Yes. A stated priority is addressing the multidimensional nature of diet and physical activity. The FOA encourages approaches that examine patterns and combinations, such as dietary pattern analysis, clustering, trajectory methods, or integrated metrics that jointly describe diet and activity.
Can projects incorporate environmental or contextual factors that shape diet and activity?
Yes. The FOA supports work that situates diet and physical activity within environmental context, including linking assessment to neighborhood features, food environments, built environments, time use, social context, or other situational factors.
Are integrated measurement systems (self-report plus objective measures) allowed?
Yes. The FOA is open to measurement systems that combine self-report, objective monitoring, and contextual data to produce a more complete and realistic picture of how people eat and move.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher education institutions); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes foreign (non-U.S.) entities among eligible applicants.
Are community-based and faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly calls out faith-based or community-based organizations as eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically identified as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly identifies multiple categories, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Is this opportunity categorized as a grant?
Yes. The opportunity is categorized under grant funding.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The FOA aligns with multiple CFDA numbers: 93.213, 93.273, 93.307, 93.393, 93.399, and 93.847.
What research areas does the FOA connect to across NIH?
Based on the CFDA alignment described, the opportunity is cross-cutting and relevant to NIH components involved in nutrition and multiple disease and health areas, including cancer, heart/lung/blood, diabetes/digestive/kidney, and related fields.
What is the closing date listed in the provided information?
The original closing date listed in the provided source data is September 7, 2021.
Does the provided excerpt specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. The excerpt does not specify an award ceiling or an expected number of awards.
How should this FOA be understood at a high level?
It is best understood as a methods-focused research program designed to push the field toward more accurate, scalable, equitable, and analytically robust ways of measuring diet and physical activity, so that downstream biomedical and public health research relies on stronger measurement foundations.
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