Expected Outcome:

Projects funded under this call are expected to:

• Improve monitoring of how unhealthy diets affect mental health in children (over 36 months), adults, and older populations across diverse socioeconomic contexts.
• Enhance science-based communication to policymakers, healthcare professionals, and educators, making the link between nutrition and mental health more accessible and actionable.
• Identify biological mechanisms—such as the role of macro- and micronutrients, beverages, and food groups—that influence the development or prevention of mental health disorders, including gender-specific dietary patterns.
• Provide robust evidence to support decision-making by public authorities, health institutions, and stakeholders in the food and nutrition sectors.
• Generate standardized data and validated metrics, including through omics approaches, to study the gut microbiome and its interaction with host metabolism.
• Advance knowledge on nutritional strategies for individuals with mental health disorders, aiming to improve their overall health and longevity.
• Develop indicators to assess the positive or negative effects of dietary behaviors on mental health outcomes.

Scope:

Projects funded under this call are expected to explore how specific dietary patterns, food components, or nutritional interventions can influence mental health outcomes across different population groups.

In total,  two projects will be funded, with the European Union providing the funding.

Budget per project: Around € 5.000.000,00

Call deadline:  16 September 2025 ,  17.00 CET

Funding rate 

• IA: 70% (100% non-profit) - TRL 5-6