Fonds français pour l’alimentation et la santé

The French Fund for Nutrition and Health (FFAS) was created on June 18th, 2011, at the initiative of the French nutrition institute (Institut Franc¸ais pour la Nutrition – IFN) and the National association of food industries (Association Nationale des Industries Alimentaires – ANIA) This funds’ mission consists in studying and promoting nutritional habits that combine pleasure and health. Its purpose is to develop a partnership between the academic community and economic actors, for a better service of public health. It is a unique structure for all stakeholders to mutualize their forces, knowledge and expertise. The French Fund for Nutrition and Health ambitions to play a role in health promotion through a diet that is both healthy and a source of pleasure. It will fund research programs on the determinants of dietary patterns, it will co-fund experimental nutrition programs with the goal of a scaling up and it will foster dialogue between science and society through a series of public debates. Three operational committees carry these missions: the research committee, the action committee and the debates committee. Each committee is composed of an equal number of academics and industry representatives. Besides, a scientific board composed of independent experts proposes general orientations to the fund and ensures decisions are made in the interest of the public independently of specific commercial interests. Soon after its creation, the French Fund for Nutrition and Health launched its first call for proposals. This call, designed by the action and research committees, has a total budget of 1,8 million euros. Three themes will be supported. The first theme, ‘‘actions in nutrition and health’’, will be funded for 1,2 million euros. It will fund research programs with experimentations in real life conditions. The other two themes are ‘‘nutritional information, consumer choice and nutritional balance’’ and ‘‘understanding and evaluation of the mechanisms of pleasure related to eating’’.