Researchers join forces to develop policies that truly make healthy choices easier

Why are unhealthy products in the Netherlands often cheaper, widely available and highly visible, while healthy food is often more expensive or presented in a less appealing way? And why is it so difficult to change this?

The new PREMIER-CVD consortium is investigating why policies to change this keep getting stuck and how we can break through the barriers. The Heart Foundation is funding this research for the next five years.

Cardiovascular disease is more common among people with a lower socioeconomic status. A healthy diet helps to prevent these diseases, but in practice this is difficult to maintain. Our environment often makes unhealthy choices easier than healthy ones.

Under the leadership of Brigit Toebes, our faculty will investigate how rules can be made stronger and fairer.

Healthy choices as a matter of course

If PREMIER-CVD succeeds, it will help to create a food environment in which healthy choices become more natural. This will help to prevent cardiovascular disease and reduce health inequalities in the United Kingdom.

In addition to our own faculty, the consortium includes researchers from Amsterdam UMC, Erasmus MC, Wageningen University, UMC Groningen, Erasmus University and Heartbeat Ventures.