Nine companies and universities in the east of the Netherlands have joined forces in combating obesity. They will develop and produce healthy food products and ingredients that are rich in protein, and then introduce these in properly monitored diet programmes. To determine individual diet prescriptions, a test based on biomarkers will be developed.
Many inhabitants in the east of the Netherlands are overweight. Obesity increases the chances of heart and coronary diseases, joint problems, some types of cancer and other diseases. It also leads to above average sickness absenteeism at the workplace, which in turn requires higher healthcare costs. By combining forces in knowledge and know-how in the area of ‘Food, Health and Technology’ which are present in this region, these problems can be tackled effectively and efficiently. In combating obesity, even a little weight loss could already lead to an improvement in health and welfare. Sickness absenteeism will be reduced due to an improved health status of employees. This project would also give rise to more local employment opportunities and, therefore, improve the economic standing of this region.
In this project Wageningen UR (Food & Biobased Research institute and division of Human Nutrition), Previtas, Newtricious, Ollyxa, Molecular Nanofabrication group – University of Twente, Nijmegen Proteomics & Metabolomics Facilities - UMC St Radboud, Zwanenberg Food Group, Barentz Ingredients en Zijerveld have joined forces. The project is part of the programme ‘Pieken in de Delta-Oost Nederland’ subsidized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Gelderland and Overijssel provinces, The Netherlands.