Work packages (WP)
PEN is structured around six research work packages (WPs), each with its own scientific concept. All WPs are connected by three cross-cutting case studies, tied together by the overarching framework and 3 case studies:
Work package 1: Policy mapping and EPI development
Chair: Janas Harrington (Ireland)
Co-chairs: Maartje Poelman (the Netherlands); Catherine Woods (Ireland); Joanna Zukowska (Poland)
WP1 will provide an overview of public policies with direct/ indirect potential influence on food and physical activity policy environments. It will build on existing tools including the Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) developed by the INFORMAS group and Health-enhancing physical activity policy audit tool (HEPA PAT).
Objectives:
1.1 To use the Food-EPI, to assess the extent of implementation of government (and EU) policies on food environments against best practice in participating PEN countries;
1.2 To prioritise concrete actions to be implemented by the government (in each participating country) based on implementation gaps identified;
1.3 To complete a policy audit of existing national public policies that impact on physical activity (PA) directly or indirectly within partner countries;
1.4 To develop the first prototype of the Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI);
1.5 To engage with policy makers for the PA-EPI prototype endorsement and assess its implementability in selected PEN countries.
Partners involved in WP1:
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University (HUL), Utrecht, the Netherlands
Friedrich‐Alexander University, Institute of Sport Science and Sport (FAU-ISS), Erlangen, Germany
Gdansk University of Technology (GUT), Gdansk, Poland
Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS, Bremen, Germany
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (EBPH-LMU), Munich, Germany
Medical University of Silesia in Katowice (SILVeR), Katowice, Poland
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), Oslo, Norway
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS), Warsaw, Poland
University College Cork (CHDR), Cork, Ireland
University College Dublin (UCD-PH), Dublin, Ireland
University of Auckland (UOA), Auckland, New Zealand
University of Limerick (UL), Limerick, Ireland
VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Work package 2: Monitoring and surveillance
Chair: Antje Hebestreit (Germany)
Co-chairs: Celine Murrin (Ireland)
WP2 will extend the work of the Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity (DEDIPAC) Knowledge Hub (KH), specifically its surveillance mapping efforts within The¬matic Area 1 (Assessment and harmonisation of methods for future research, monitoring and evaluation of interventions). WP2 will foster a pan-European monitoring and surveillance system.
Objectives:
2.1 To select and map indicators for diet, physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and related determinants against available data according to individual, setting and systems level;
2.2 To identify suitable instruments to measure variables that describe relevant key policy indicators, taking equity and diversity perspectives into account;
2.3 To develop a protocol for pan-European monitoring and surveillance for policy impact evaluation and initiate a methodological platform to sustainably foster further harmonisation.
Partners involved in WP2:
Friedrich‐Alexander University, Institute of Sport Science and Sport (FAU-ISS), Erlangen, Germany
Helmholtz Zentrum München (T-HMGU), Munich, Germany
Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS, Bremen, Germany
Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), Poznan, Poland
Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Berlin, Germany
University College Dublin (UCD-PH), Dublin, Ireland
University of Limerick (UL), Limerick, Ireland
University of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (UiO-PHN), Oslo, Norway
VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Work package 3: Estimation and simulation of policy impact
Chair: Mario Mazzocchi (Italy)
Co-chairs: Hermann Brenner, Michael Laxy (Germany)
WP3 aims to review, critically assess and refine quantitative methods for the evaluation of the impact of public policies targeting diet, physical activity (PA) and/ or sedentary behaviour (SB) across Europe.
Objectives:
3.1 To review and apply methods to quantify the efficacy and effectiveness of public policies targeting diet, PA and SB using information from randomised experiments and non-randomised observational data, also considering tools to accompany quantitative evaluations with a structured assessment of their robustness and reliability;
3.2 To review and apply methods to analyse the economic dimension of public policies targeting diet, PA and SB, considering both direct impacts (e.g. impact on quality-adjusted life expectancy and healthcare costs), and indirect dimensions (e.g. interaction with other relevant economic policies acting on the same objectives and the distributional effects of policies);
3.3 To review and apply methods to estimate the epidemiological impact of public policies targeting diet, PA and SB, including the ex-ante simulation of the long-term epidemiological impact, considering also methodological challenges related to the probabilistic nature of health outcomes and the scarcity of adequate longitudinal data to monitor the effect of policies on health outcomes;
3.4 To gather the evidence on impact evaluation methods and their applications to real policies and develop recommendation for robust and transparent impact evaluations.
Partners involved in WP3:
Alimentation et Sciences Sociales (INRA ALISS), Ivry-Sur-Seine, France
Gdansk University of Technlogy (GUT), Gdansk, Poland
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Grenoble Applied Economics Laboratory, French National Institute of Agricultural Research (GAEL- INRA), Grenoble, France
Helmholtz Zentrum München (T-HMGU), Munich, Germany
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Mainz, Germany
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (EBPH-LMU), Munich, Germany
Medical Center - University of Freiburg (CG-IEM), Freiburg, Germany
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC), Piacenza, Italy
University of Bologna (UNIBO), Bologna, Italy
University of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (UiO-PHN), Oslo, Norway
University of Ulm, Division of Sport and Rehabilitation Medicine (UULM), Ulm, Germany
Vrije Universiteit (VU-P&P), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Work package 4: Policy implementation evaluation
Co-chairs: Aleksandra Luszczynska (Poland) and Hajo Zeeb (Germany)
WP4 will build on DEDIPAC, the predecessor project to PEN, specifically on Thematic Area 3 (Evaluation and benchmarking of public health and policy interventions aimed at improving dietary, physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB)). It will investigate theoretical frameworks informing policy implementation to identify key implementation processes, facilitators, barriers and approaches to policy implementation evaluation processes, referring to individual, organisational, and setting levels; and for social and political actors.
Objectives:
4.1 To identify key aspects of implementation processes (e.g. fidelity, policy penetration/ enforcement levels, sustainability) and assess the role of different administrative processes with respect to policies promoting healthy diets, PA and (if feasible) a reduction of SB;
4.2 To identify key facilitators and barriers (e.g., individual, institutional, social, cultural, political, and environmental) for implementation of policies promoting healthy diets, PA and (if feasible) a reduction of SB;
4.3 To identify tools to assess implementation processes, facilitators, and barriers and develop a protocol to assess central requirements of policy implementation.
Partners involved in WP4:
Alimentation et Sciences Sociales (INRA ALISS), Ivry-Sur-Seine, France
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Helmholtz Zentrum München (T-HMGU), Munich, Germany
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Mainz, Germany
Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS, Bremen, Germany (co-lead)
Medical University of Silesia in Katowice (SILVeR), Katowice, Poland
Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), Poznan, Poland
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS), Warsaw, Poland (co-lead)
University of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (UiO-PHN), Oslo, Norway
University of Ulm, Division of Sport and Rehabilitation Medicine (UULM), Ulm, Germany (lead)
Vrije Universiteit (VU-P&P), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Work package 5: Equity and diversity of policies
Chair: Frank van Lenthe (the Netherlands)
Co-chair: Gun Roos (Norway)
WP5 will deliver a set of recommendations for an equity and diversity perspective in all stages of developing, benchmarking, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and disseminating policies directly or indirectly targeting dietary, physical activity (PA) or sedentary behaviour (SB) across Europe.
Objectives:
5.1 To work in close cooperation with WP1 to WP4 and WP6 to advise on issues related to equity and diversity, and to ensure an equity and diversity focus in PEN outputs;
5.2 To contribute to the evidence base of policies aimed at promoting a healthy diet, increased PA and reduced SB in lower socio-economic and vulnerable groups from a systems perspective;
5.3 To provide recommendations ensuring that the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups are adequately considered in policies aiming at improving dietary, PA or SB across Europe.
Partners involved in WP5:
Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam (PHP-DP), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam (SocialEpiEMCR), Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University (HUL), Utrecht, the Netherlands
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Mainz, Germany
Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIPS), Bremen, Germany
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), Oslo, Norway
Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), Poznan, Poland
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS), Warsaw, Poland
University of Ulm, Division of Sport and Rehabilitation Medicine (UULM), Ulm, Germany
Work package 6: Policy in practice – Selected case studies
Co-chairs: Ingrid Steenhuis (the Netherlands) and Marion Flechtner-Mors (Germany)
WP6 will apply relevant experience/ knowledge gained in other PEN work packages to three well-selected case studies for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the implementation and impact of these exemplary policies.
Objectives:
6.1 To evaluate sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) tax schemes and develop a set of recommendations regarding the impact and implementation evaluation of such policies;
6.2 To evaluate policies related to urban mobility and active transport, and develop a set of recommendations regarding the impact and implementation evaluation of such policies);
6.3 To evaluate physical activity and nutrition policies in school settings and develop a set of recommendations regarding the impact and implementation evaluation of such policies.
Partners involved in WP5:
Faculty of Geosciences & Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University (HUL), Utrecht, the Netherlands
Gdansk University of Technology (GUT), Gdansk, Poland
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS, Bremen, Germany
Medical Center - University of Freiburg (CG-IEM), Freiburg, Germany
Medical University of Silesia in Katowice (SILVeR), Katowice, Poland
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS), Warsaw, Poland
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC), Milan, Italy
University of Bologna (UNIBO), Bologna, Italy
University of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (UiO-PHN), Oslo, Norway
University of Ulm, Division of Sport and Rehabilitation Medicine (UULM), Ulm, Germany
Vrije Universiteit (VU-P&P), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Work package 7: Network coordination and dissemination
Co-leader: Catherine Woods (Ireland) and Jeroen Lakerveld (the Netherlands) (Deputy Network Coordinators)
WP7 will provide effective and timely management of the project, to further build and strengthen the PEN, to engage and encourage stakeholders to contribute to the project and to promote the use of PEN results to key target audiences in order to create long-term sustainable impact of the network and project results.
Objectives:
7.1 To support the integrated progress of the project, by organising the internal workflow and communication and by ensuring a proper risk and quality management;
7.2 To manage legal affairs including contracts and regulations related to the project, to protect intellectual property rights of the consortium and settle legal issues, to submit all required documents and periodic reports to the JPI Steering Committee;
7.3 To encourage stakeholders to contribute to the project and to promote the dissemination of PEN results to key target audiences (such as policy makers, researchers, industry research funding organisations, public health organisations, consumer organisations, as well as other information multipliers).
Partners involved in WP7:
Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam (SocialEpiEMCR), Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University (HUL), Utrecht, the Netherlands
Gdansk University of Technology (GUT), Gdansk, Poland
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS, Bremen, Germany
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), Oslo, Norway
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS), Warsaw, Poland
University College Cork (CHDR), Cork, Ireland
University College Dublin (UCD-PH), Dublin, Ireland
University of Bologna (UNIBO), Bologna, Italy
University of Limerick (UL), Limerick, Ireland
University of Ulm, Division of Sport and Rehabilitation Medicine (UULM), Ulm, Germany
Vrije Universiteit (VU-P&P), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, the Netherlands