Innovating for Impact: Advancing Solutions to Obesity in Older Adults to Promote Healthy Ageing
The International Federation on Ageing is launching a call to action on obesity and ageing. Submit your innovative projects and initiatives that will support advancing policy and practice to support obesity care for ageing populations.
Obesity is a significant barrier to healthy ageing, as it drives chronic disease and accelerates functional decline in older adults. Moreover, obesity in older adults often coexists with frailty, multimorbidity, and the influence of social determinants of health, amplifying its negative effects on wellbeing and quality of life. Despite its wide-ranging impact on ageing trajectories, obesity remains under-recognised within aged care, preventative health strategies, healthy ageing frameworks, and broader public health policy.
Accordingly, the International Federation on Ageing (IFA), in non-commercial partnership with Novo Nordisk, is hosting an Innovation Challenge to recognize and elevate creative and novel community-led initiatives in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, that support greater access to, and improved integration of, obesity care within healthy ageing strategies and promotion of good health across the life course, with a focus on older adults and later life.
The Prize
Three winners will be selected based on review by a Selection Committee of experts in obesity and ageing.
Winners will receive 10,000 USD seed funding to support the advancement of their initiatives and will be showcased to a global audience to foster inspiration and innovation in advancing obesity care as a component of healthy ageing.
Eligibility
IFA welcomes community-based patient and professional organizations, older adults’ associations, civil society or others to apply. While the focus of this Innovation Challenge is on obesity and ageing, we also welcome applications from organizations working in closely related sectors that can bring innovative, cross-cutting solutions to improve health and wellbeing in later life.
Eligible applicants should be:
- Based or working in Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom
- Registered civil society organizations (CSOs), including NGOs, community-based organizations, and networks or coalitions.
- Health sector entities, including primary care groups, hospitals, and specialized institutions working in relevant thematic areas.
- Public sector entities, including local and regional government bodies and institutions.
- Academic and research institutions, including public universities, research centers, and think tanks.
Targets one or more of the following audiences:
- Older adults
- Caregivers or care partners
- Health professionals
- Advocates
- Education professionals
- Community health agents
- Civil society organizations
Action Areas
Applicants should submit unique and innovative solutions that advance policy and/or practice to support older adults’ access to obesity care, addressing one or more of the following pillars:
Resources
Help us spread the word!
Download and share the flyer and social media materials with your networks to encourage more innovative proposals that advance obesity care for ageing populations.
Together, we can inspire bold ideas and promote healthy ageing for all.
Submit a Proposal
Please submit the form below to submit your proposal to the Innovation Challenge. Please note that you may not alter your application once it has been submitted.
The call for submissions opens on 27/10/2025 and ends on 22/12/2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Following selection, shortlisted applicants will present their innovations to a Selection Committee and international audience virtually, with winner and virtual showcase to be announced in January 2026.
For additional information regarding the application eligibility, timelines, and review processes, please click the button below.
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