Unibo Team Leader: Prof. Claudio Franceschi, Dip. di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale
NU-AGE is a large multidisciplinary consortium (31 partners, from 17 EU countries) involving nutritionists, biogerontologists, immunologists and molecular biologists from the most prestigious institutions in Europe, 5 large food industries, 8 traditional food companies and 1 biotech SME, SPES GEIE and FDE, covering the SME Food Industrial Associations of 13 European countries and the European Confederation the food and drink industry.
NU-AGE aims are:
- to counteract the physical/cognitive decline occurring in the elderly as a consequence of the progressive alteration of different organs/systems (immune and cardiovascular systems, bone, brain, muscle and intestine) by one year elderly-tailored whole diet intervention on 1250 healthy elderly men and women aged 65-79 years (half diet, half control) from 5 different EU regions;
- to assess the effect of the newly designed food pyramid specific for 65+ EU citizens on the different organs/systems using a large set of biomarkers related to nutrition and ageing, with particular attention to the low grade, chronic, systemic inflammatory status named inflammageing, a major risk factor for common age-related diseases;
- to perform in a subgroup of 120 subjects in depth studies and high throughput "omics" to identify cellular/molecular targets/mechanisms responsible for whole diet effect;
- to perform genetic and epigenetic studies to assess the role of individual variability on the response to diet;
- to adopt an integrative comprehensive approach (systems biology) to analyze the whole set of data.
The results of dietary intervention will be used to develop elderly-tailored prototypes of functional foods and to improve traditional foods.
The research activity will be accompanied and followed by a strong activity of dissemination and industrial exploitation to support EU strategies on nutritional recommendations, thus contributing to the implementation of legislation related to nutritional and health claims for elderly in Europe.
Coordinator
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM-UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
- Dip. di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale
- Resp. Scientifico: Prof. Claudio Franceschi
Other participants
Szkola Glowna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego (Poland)
Centre De Recherche En Nutrition Humaine D'Auvergne (France)
Yoruk Sut Urunleri Hayvancilik Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi (Turkey)
Zeelandia Spol Sro (Czech Republic)
Soleou-Newsol Sas (France)
Lesieur Sas (France)
Vidreres Llet, S.L. (Spain)
Pancrazio Spa (Italy)
Karolinska Institutet (Sweden)
Villani Spa (Italy)
Wiesbauer Gourmet Gastro Gmbh (Austria)
Makedoniki Viomihania Galaktos Anonimos Eteria - Mevgal Sa (Greece)
FoodDrinkEurope (UE)
Valio Oy (Finland)
European Food Information Council Aisbl (UE)
Maa Ja Elintarviketalouden Tutkimuskeskus (Finland)
Spread European Safety Geie (Italy)
Ethniko Idryma Erevnon (Greece)
Orebro University (Sweden)
Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique - INRA (France)
Nestec S.A. (Switzerland)
Straticell Screening Technologies (Belgium)
Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Tno (The Netherlands)
Wageningen Universiteit (The Netherlands)
University Of East Anglia (UK)
The University Of Reading (UK)
University College Cork, National University Of Ireland, Cork (Eire)
Institute Of Food Research – IFR (UK)
Start date 01/05/2011
End date 30/04/2016
Duration 60 months
Project cost 12.095.080 EURO
Project Funding 8.998.889 EURO
Subprogramme Area KBBE-2010-2-2-02- Diet and prevention of functional decline of the elderly
Contract type Collaborative project Large-scale integrating project