Eat4Life
Sustainable Consumption of Healthy Food
Projekt APVV-24-0412
Sustainable and Healthy Food Consumption: Effects of Socio-economic Factors and Policies on Eating Behaviour, Obesity, and Food System
The Eat4Life research project examines how socio-economic factors, public policies and consumer behaviour affect the sustainable consumption of healthy food in Slovakia. The aim is to understand the links between eating habits, obesity, the availability of healthy food and the effectiveness of public programmes – particularly the EU School Scheme implemented in Slovakia.
The research project is carried out by a team of researchers from the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Economics and Management, in cooperation with experts from the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic and external professional partners.
Eat4Life brings new knowledge about consumer behaviour, health and food policies, while promoting the popularisation of sustainable and healthy lifestyles among children, families and the wider public.
About project
The project Eat4Life – Sustainable and Healthy Food Consumption: Effects of Socio-economic Factors and Policies on Eating Behaviour, Obesity, and Food System focuses on investigating the relationships between socio-economic conditions, eating habits and the health status of the population. The research analyses how public policies and programmes – in particular the EU School Scheme – contribute to shaping healthier eating habits and reducing childhood obesity in Slovakia. The EU School Scheme supports the distribution of milk, fruit and vegetables to millions of children across the EU, from kindergarten to secondary school.
The project also assesses consumer behaviour when making decisions about buying sustainable food, willingness to pay for healthier alternatives, and barriers that affect access to nutritionally good food.
Eat4Life brings an interdisciplinary approach, combining economics, public health, behavioral sciences and policy analysis.
Project duration: September 2025 – August 2028
Funding: Agency for Research and Development (APVV)
Principal investigator: prof. Ing. Ľubica Bartová, CSc.
Investigator: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Economics and Management, Institute of Economic Policy and Finance
Project objectives
The main objective of the project is to examine the impact of socio-economic factors and public policies on dietary behavior, obesity and the food system in Slovakia.
Specific objectives include:
1. to analyse the impact of the EU School Scheme programme implemented in Slovakia on children’s eating habits and obesity,
2. identify spatial differences in the effectiveness of the program and in the socio-economic factors of healthy eating,
3. examine consumers’ choices about buying sustainable food and their willingness to pay for healthy and environmentally friendly alternatives,
4. analyse household spending on food and its compliance with the principles of healthy and sustainable diets,
5. evaluate food security and access to nutritionally valuable food for vulnerable groups,
6. develop recommendations for public policies promoting healthier and sustainable diets.
Research Tasks (Work Packages)
WP1 – Impact of the EU School Scheme on nutrition and obesity
- evaluation of the impact of the program on healthy eating and childhood obesity (PSM, DiD, synthetic control models),
- economic evaluation of the effectiveness of the program (CBA, CEA),
- analysis of spatial dependencies and regional differences using spatial econometrics and GIS.
WP2 – Consumer preferences and consumption determinants
- research on consumer decision-making on sustainable food (DCE experiments),
- analysis of food security and socio-economic determinants (machine learning + QAIDS models),
- synthesis of knowledge and formulation of policy recommendations.
Methodology and approach
The project combines econometric, behavioural and spatial models with modern methods of artificial intelligence.
Approaches such as:
1. Propensity Score Matching a Difference-in-Differences for causal impact analysis,
2. Synthetic control methods for counterfactual evaluation of the effects of public programmes,
3. Discrete Choice Experiments (DCE) to analyse consumer preferences,
4. GIS and spatial econometrics to identify regional disparities,
5. Machine learning (e.g. XGBoost, SHAP) for predicting food safety and household behaviour.
The interdisciplinary nature of the project allows for a comprehensive understanding of the links between the economy, consumer behaviour and public health.
Significance and societal impact
Eat4Life brings new scientific knowledge on how socio-economic conditions and public policies affect the health of the population. The results of the project have a practical impact on the creation of effective measures in the field of healthy eating, obesity prevention and a sustainable food system.
The project contributes to the development of knowledge, the promotion of public health and education – while strengthening cooperation between academia, public institutions and society.
Partners
The main investigator of the project is the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra – Faculty of Economics and Management.
The cooperating institution is the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic, which provides professional facilities in the field of public health, healthy lifestyle and obesity prevention.
The project also builds on cooperation with European institutions such as the European Commission (DG AGRI, DG SANTE), WHO and academic partners from EU countries.