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The Dr Ruta Kruuda Foundation announces its annual scholarship competition on the topic of diet and nutrition – “Does our diet need medical care?”

The board of the Dr Ruta Kruuda Foundation, created for promoting public health, announces a scholarship competition in the framework of which up to three scholarships of up to 50,000 kroons each will be given out on the topic of health behaviour related to diet and nutrition.

The topic of this year’s scholarship competition is diet and nutrition and related health habits and its impact on Estonian society. Competition entries should be research papers that help provide an answer the questions: How do diet and nutrition impact human health? What are the paths toward instilling a balanced diet? Different nationalities, different habits? How can people be encouraged to change behaviour that is deleterious to their health? How can something be accomplished? Who can accomplish it?

In the European Union, 4.5% of quality-adjusted life years are lost due to poor nutrition, 3.7% due to obesity and 1.4% due to low levels of physical activity – adding up to a total of over 10% lost. Estonia’s largest disease burden comes from diseases of the heart and circulatory system, and the diet plays an important role in contributing to these diseases. In recent decades, eating disorders have become one of the most common causes of mental health problems in young women.

Chairman of the Dr Ruta Kruuda Foundation board, Küllike Tohver, says the Foundation desires to support and recognize top individuals and important initiatives in the field of public health. “The scholarship competition is one of the primary outputs for the foundation and has found a secure place in the field of Estonian public health. Each year we pick a topic that guides health-related discussion in society and offers new opportunities for development in the field. With this year's topic, entitled ‘Is our diet in need of medical care?’, we are trying to provide a balanced overview of people’s health-related behaviour which is associated with both values in society, health and monetary opportunities,” said Tohver.

Above all, the target group for the scholarship consists of scientists and researchers, students, politicians, public servants, health care workers, journalists and representatives from the non-profit sector. Support is given to research and practical initiatives aimed at analysis and problem-solving as well as to the organizing of pertinent events and campaigns.

The deadline for applications is 20 February 2009 and the competition is open to all individuals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Scholarship recipients will be announced at the Dr. Ruta Kruuda Foundation memorial lecture to be held on 10 March at the Swissotel Tallinn conference centre beginning at 11.00.

We ask that applications be sent, accompanied by the candidate CVs, to the following address:
SA Dr. Ruta Kruuda Fond
Tornimäe 5
Tallinn
or e-mailed to info@rutakruudafond.ee mailto:info@rutakruudafond.ee>

The Dr Ruta Kruuda Foundation was founded for the purpose of developing the public health field in Estonia, by providing support for research and analysis in the field of public health as well as to achieve better public awareness in order to achieve improved health. Once a year, the Dr. Ruta Kruuda Foundation gives out scholarships intended to support key analysis and solutions to health care issues.

More information:
Tel. 6886 600
E-mail. info@rutakruudafond.ee

Application form:
www.rutakruudafond.ee