Project
BigO – Big Data against childhood obesity
The high prevalence of childhood obesity is an emerging health issue, with large societal consequences. Collecting and analysing Big Data on children’s health related behaviour and their environment will enable to identify local risk factors affecting childhood obesity rates. The BigO platform, which is designed, build and tested during this project, will enable public health authorities to plan, develop and execute effective programs against obesity.
BigO aims to redefine the way existing obesity-related policy strategies are designed and deployed in European societies. The BigO platform is envisioned as a valuable tool for local Public Health Authorities by acting as an open platform for the collection of Big Data (e.g., accelerometry, geolocation, food pictures) from school aged children. The BigO data pool will be analysed and combined with various online data (e.g., maps, registries and GIS-data) in order to extract information on the local environment of the children. Real-time visualisation of the system outcomes will allow evaluation of behavioural risk factor profiles and comparisons with other individuals and populations.
BigO is a 4-year EU funded program which involves 14 partners from different countries across Europe, including schools, clinics, research organisations, public health authorities and commercial enterprises.
More research: Sensory and metabolic drivers of eating behaviour