As part of the project researchers analyse eating behaviours of different social groups in order to identify and design new directions of food and health policy in the face of climate change and technological advances.
The project in its current phase focuses on work in the so-called Living Labs – small communities that offer a user-focused experimental environment in which interested parties receive support in co-creating innovative solutions in real conditions. By addressing community issues directly, living labs are particularly well-suited to identify, define and meet the needs of people struggling economically and geographically to access healthier and more sustainable diets
– says Dr Aleksandra Różalska, coordinator of the FEAST project at the University of Lodz and Head of the Women’s Studies Centre (Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz).
University of Lodz, as the Polish partner of the FEAST project, carries out project activities in the Living Lab, which is the "Senior-WIGOR" daycare centre in Tuszyn. It is part of the network of daycare facilities for the elderly financed by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. Studying the eating habits of senior citizens, the quality of meals served on site, spreading practical and theoretical knowledge about a healthier and a more balanced diet, and developing and implementing key interventions to improve the eating culture of this community constitute the most important goals of cooperation with WIGOR.
Dr Kaja Zachódowska-Kling, researcher from the Faculty of International and Political Studies of the University of Lodz, explains:
The main assumption of our activities is that older people have very specific dietary needs and their eating habits influence the course of the aging process. In less than a year, our team conducted almost 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews about culinary traditions and customs taken from the Living Lab residents' family homes.
She adds:
Instead of using the phrase Living Lab, we always prefer to say "our beloved senior citizens". Sometimes we learn more from them than we can convey to them, but this is the great charm and beauty of this project and the sense of the tangible impact of science on the people who are right next to us.
An intergenerational and intercultural workshop in cooperation with students of GEMMA (Master's Degree in Women's and Gender Studies) has already been organised twice. It was held in June 2023 and May 2024. Seniors had the opportunity to taste, among other things: Chinese, German and French cuisine, and also personally meet the students who prepared all the dishes themselves. The FEAST team regularly organises lectures on healthy eating and a balanced diet for both senior citizens and employees of WIGOR.
Tasting of vegan and Asian cuisine, workshops on the health properties of spices and herbs have also been organised, and a vegetable garden has even been set up, where tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, chard, celery, chives, lovage, mint and basil are successfully grown. The aim of these activities is to create a friendly environment, expand knowledge about various types of cuisine and culinary traditions along with their health benefits, encourage more conscious choices and establish connections between dietary patterns, health and well-being.
In October 2023, we were proud to learn that our member Dr Kai Zapędowska Kling had been awarded the Scientist of the Future Award in the category "Woman of Science Who Changes the World" by the Smart Development Forum. The award was given for commitment to the scientific exploration of a new and innovative research area at the intersection of social policy, senior citizenship policy, social gerontology and food studies. A song in honour of our project, written and sung together by senior citizens, management and caregivers of the "Senior-WIGOR" daycare centre in Tuszyn is the most unexpected result of our work. There were a lot of emotions then.
In the coming months, the following are planned: expansion of the vegetable patch to adapt it to the capabilities and needs of elderly people with mobility disabilities. Interviews will also be conducted with the local government authorities of the city of Tuszyn and representatives of the company supplying meals to WIGOR. The FEAST team will also develop and publish preliminary research results. As of April 2024, the FEAST project has been also supported by the internal grant Excellence Initiative – Research University (IDUB) as part of the competition "The impact of science on society and the economy", coordinated by Dr Kaja Zapędowska-Kling.
About the FEAST project
FEAST brings together 35 partners from 15 member states of the European Union. As part of the project, partners representing various scientific fields and disciplines, and working in various types of institutions (public, private and social ones) have decided to comprehensively approach the challenge of analysing the eating behaviours of vulnerable social groups, taking into account geographical, socio-economic, behavioural, gender and cultural determinants. The team from Lodz will focus on senior citizens – their eating patterns and special dietary requirements.
The aim of the project, beyond the research, educational and training dimensions, is to develop recommendations in the field of food policy, especially in relation to care institutions for older people in Poland. The project's goals are in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Green Deal.
What is Horizon Europe?
The European Union Framework Programme Horizon Europe is the largest research and innovation programme in the history of the Union. Over 7 years (2021-2027), a total of EUR 95.5 billion will be allocated to innovative research and innovative solutions.
The structure of Horizon Europe is based on three essential, mutually supportive pillars, such as:
- excellent scientific base,
- global challenges and European industrial competitiveness,
- innovative Europe,
supplemented by an additional component, which is: Wider participation and strengthening the European Research Area.
Text and photos: the FEAST project team