Exploratory Analyses of Adherence Strategies and Data Sets from CALERIE to Investigate Behavioral and Psychosocial Aspects of Sustained Caloric Restriction in Humans (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 18 826

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 826

This National Institute on Aging (NIA) funding opportunity (PA 18-826) supports exploratory, early-stage research using an R21 grant mechanism to conduct secondary analyses of existing data from the CALERIE trial. The focus is not on running a new intervention, but on reanalyzing the rich data already collected in CALERIE, particularly data housed in the Computerized Tracking System (CTS) database. The opportunity is explicitly limited to projects that do not involve clinical trials, meaning applicants are expected to work with existing datasets rather than enrolling participants or testing new treatment protocols.

The scientific goal is to better understand the behavioral and psychosocial dimensions of sustaining caloric restriction (CR) in humans over the long term. CALERIE (Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy) was the first major human trial designed specifically to test sustained caloric restriction, and it showed that maintaining CR for at least two years was feasible. It also produced favorable effects on measures associated with longevity and improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors. A particularly notable aspect of CALERIE is that the sustained weight loss achieved in this study had not previously been seen in clinical research involving non-obese individuals. This creates a rare chance to study not only physiological outcomes, but also how people successfully adhered to a demanding lifestyle change over an extended period.

A central emphasis of the announcement is adherence: what strategies helped participants stick with caloric restriction, what behavioral patterns predicted better adherence, and what psychosocial factors (such as motivation, stress, mood, social support, self-regulation, or perceived barriers) influenced sustained behavior change. The NIA is also interested in translation, meaning applicants are encouraged to explore how the adherence approaches used in CALERIE could be adapted into practical strategies that promote healthy behaviors in broader settings. In particular, the announcement highlights the prevention of weight gain with age as a key public health application, suggesting that findings could inform scalable behavioral tools or guidance aimed at maintaining healthy weight trajectories across adulthood and into older age.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary NIH grant in the health category (CFDA 93.866). The award ceiling listed is $200,000, reflecting the smaller, exploratory nature of R21 projects, which are typically designed to support innovative ideas and preliminary analyses that can lead to larger follow-on studies. The original closing date provided is September 7, 2021, and the opportunity was created on June 8, 2018.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common U.S. applicant types, such as state, county, and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special district governments; and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. It also includes federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses. The announcement additionally calls out a wide range of institutions and organizations as eligible or of special interest, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, faith-based and community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations and regional organizations. Overall, the opportunity is designed to spur creative secondary-data projects that explain how sustained caloric restriction was achieved in CALERIE and how those lessons can be turned into realistic, behavior-focused approaches to support healthy aging.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory Analyses of Adherence Strategies and Data Sets from CALERIE to Investigate Behavioral and Psychosocial Aspects of Sustained Caloric Restriction in Humans (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-06-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PA 18 826

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