Ghent University

The research program of the Department of Movement and Sport Sciences (DMSS), research group Physical Activity, Fitness and Health group at the UNIVERSITEIT GENT (Ghent University), Belgium (UGent) has its main focus on health promotion and behavioural change with special attention to nutrition and physical activity. Based on the planning model of health promotion and behavioural change, studies are executed on (1) monitoring, measurement of nutrition and physical activity, including validity and reliability, (2) psycho-social and environmental determinants of both behaviours, (3) development of interventions for children, adolescents and adults, (4) effect and process evaluation studies and (5) dissemination activities. The Department of Public Health (DPH) in UNIVERSITEIT GENT (Ghent University), Belgium (UGent) has a long-standing experience in descriptive, analytical and experimental epidemiological studies and in health promotional intervention studies. The scientific interest area of the department is extremely wide and very sensible for permanent social and public evolutions. Three research units of the department will participate in the consortium. The Unit of “Health Information, Education and Health Promotion” is concentrating on the survey of health behaviour of young people, the development of programmes for information and education and their appropriateness. The Unit of “Public Health Nutrition” gained experience in the broad research field of human nutrition and public health related to the growing challenge of obesity. The third Unit “Health Economics” is a new but experienced unit and focuses on health economic evaluations in various preventive and therapeutic areas.