NIH-supported implementation science and nutrition research: a portfolio review of the past decade.

Objective: This portfolio analysis aims to describe the scope of NIH-funded extramural research grants at the intersection of nutrition research and implementation science (IS) from 2011 to 2022 and to offer insights into future research opportunities relevant to the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research 2020-2030. Methods: A portfolio analysis of funded grants using NIH reporting systems was conducted to identify nutrition research and IS awarded between fiscal years 2011 and 2022. The authors screened the titles and abstracts for inclusion criteria: research and career development awards involved a nutrition and/or dietary intervention and measured a stated implementation outcome or used an IS theory, model, or framework. Results: In total, 33 NIH-funded awards met the inclusion criteria. Almost half of the awards (48.5%) were investigator-initiated research projects compared to research career awards and cooperative agreements. While studies were predominantly conducted in the United States, 15.2% were conducted in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Adults aged 19-64 years and children aged 2-11 years represented most of the study populations (45.5 and 15.2%, respectively). Studies provided nutrition/dietary guidelines and created culturally tailored interventions, which were then adapted in collaboration with community partners in schools, hospitals, and religious settings. The most cited IS outcomes were feasibility, costs, adoption, and acceptability. Sixteen awards (48.5%) used an IS theory, model, or framework to guide their work. Discussion: The findings show the breadth of NIH-funded nutrition and implementation research and highlight potential research opportunities.

Spectrum of National Institutes of Health-Funded Research in Cardio-Oncology: A Basic, Clinical, and Observational Science Perspective.

Advances in cancer treatments have led to nearly 17 million survivors in the US today. Cardiovascular complications attributed to cancer treatments are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. In response, NCI and NHLBI held 2 workshops and issued funding opportunities to strengthen research on cardiotoxicity. A representative portfolio of NIH grants categorizing basic, interventional, and observational projects is presented. Compared with anthracyclines, research on radiation therapy and newer treatments is underrepresented. Multidisciplinary collaborative research that considers the cardiotoxicity stage and optimizes the balance between cardiovascular risk and cancer-treatment benefit might support continued improvements in cancer outcomes.

Perspectives: on Precision Nutrition Research in Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases and Sleep Disorders.

The release of the 2020-2030 Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research (SPNR) and its emphasis on precision nutrition has provided an opportunity to identify future nutrition research that addresses individual variability in response to diet and nutrition across the life span-including those relevant to the Strategic Vision of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The SPNR and the NHLBI's Strategic Vision were developed with extensive input from the extramural research community, and both have 4 overarching strategic goals within which are embedded several objectives for research. For the SPNR, these include 1) spur discovery science and normal biological functions (e.g., role of the microbiome in health and disease), 2) population science to understand individual differences (e.g., biomarkers including 'omics that predict disease status), 3) emerging scientific areas of investigation and their application (e.g., data science, artificial intelligence), and 4) cross-cutting themes (e.g., training the scientific workforce and minority health and health disparities). These strategic goals and objectives serve as blueprints for research and training. Nutrition remains important in the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) disorders and diseases, and the NHLBI has played a pivotal role in supporting nutrition research. In this paper, we report important gaps in the scientific literature related to precision nutrition in HLBS diseases. Research opportunities that could stimulate precision nutrition and their alignment with the SPNR and the NHLBI Strategic Vision Objectives are provided. These opportunities include 1) exploring individual differences in response to varying dietary patterns and nutrients; 2) investigating genetic/epigenetic, biological (e.g., microbiome, biomarkers), social, psychosocial, and environmental underpinnings of individual variability in diet; 3) elucidating the role of circadian rhythm and chrononutrition; and 4) applying implementation science research methods in precision nutrition interventions relevant to HLBS diseases.

A Decade of Nutrition and Health Disparities Research at NIH, 2010-2019.

INTRODUCTION: Nutrition health disparities include differences in incidence, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of diet-related diseases and conditions. Often, race, ethnicity, and the social determinants of health are associated with dietary intake and related health disparities. This report describes the nutrition health disparities research supported by NIH over the past decade and offers future research opportunities relevant to NIH's mission as described in the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research. METHODS: Data were extracted from an internal reporting system from FY2010 to FY2019 using the Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization spending categories for Nutrition and Health Disparities. RESULTS: Over the past decade, NIH-supported nutrition and health disparities research increased, from 860 grants in 2010 to 937 grants in FY2019, whereas total nutrition and health disparities funding remained relatively stable. The top 5 Institutes/Centers that funded nutrition and health disparities research (on the basis of both grant numbers and dollars) were identified. Principal areas of focus included several chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease) and research disciplines (e.g., clinical research and behavioral and social science). Focus areas related to special populations included pediatrics, minority health, aging, and women's health. CONCLUSIONS: The gaps and trends identified in this analysis highlight the need for future nutrition and health disparities research, including a focus on American Indian and Asian populations and the growing topics of rural health, maternal health, and food insecurity. In alignment with the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research, health equity may be advanced through innovative research approaches to develop effective targeted interventions to address these disparities.