Medical Delta Program ‘Community-up plant-based innovations for healthy diets and new business opportunities (CUPIDO)’

Eating more plant-based foods lowers the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, reduces the environmental impact of food production, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these benefits, only a small percentage of young people consume enough vegetables and fruits. At the same time, the consumption of animal protein by many Dutch people is higher than desired.

The Medical Delta Program ‘Community-up plant-based innovations for healthy diets and new business opportunities (CUPIDO)' aims to ignite a love for plant-based and healthy eating while simultaneously creating economic opportunities for the province of Zuid-Holland. 

To bring about a lasting change in the eating patterns of young people, it is important to align with their desires, needs, and possibilities. In addition to education and information, it is essential that the entire food system surrounding young people is designed so that the healthy choice is the easy choice. Making healthy food available and affordable can contribute to improved eating habits and a healthier lifestyle. With the existing knowledge about health and nutrition, Zuid-Holland provides an excellent foundation for this. With Westland as its hinterland, this also offers economic opportunities. 

To bring about lasting changes in eating patterns, it is important to align closely with the realities of young people's lives. In 2021, the 'Food Boost Challenge' was launched for this reason. In this project, more and more young people are developing their own ideas to promote healthy eating among their peers

Scaling up with input from the target group itself

The Food Boost Challenge reaches many young people. Medical Delta CUPIDO therefore wants to scale up and implement the principles of such a 'community-up system approach' more broadly. This requires thorough research into the mechanisms and impact of this approach. What factors encourage people to eat healthier? What levers exist in the regional food ecosystem? And which innovations contribute to the availability of accessible and affordable healthy plant-based foods for different target groups?

Within Medical Delta CUPIDO, it is primarily the target groups themselves who provide ideas and input. They are supported in this by researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, NGO staff, and civil servants.

Goals

The overarching goal of Medical Delta CUPIDO is to make the eating patterns of young people, in particular, structurally healthier and to provide healthy and plant-based food in a way that suits them. 

Medical Delta CUPIDO aims to achieve this by:

• establishing what the evidence- and experience-based 'levers' in the food ecosystem are;
• developing innovations that improve access to available and affordable healthy plant-based food for different target groups;
• further developing the approach of the Food Boost Challenge and supportive educational concepts in vocational and higher education, and initiating research on the impact of this approach.

Contact

For more information or if you're interested in participating, please contact one of our innovation managers.