SPOTLIGHT is a cross-European research project and stands for sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies. It is funded by the European Commission through its seventh Framework programme.

SPOTLIGHT will systematically define the factors necessary for establishing effective health promotion approaches. Different levels in varying contexts will be taken into account – individual, family, organisational, and environments that can change behaviour, lifestyles, and life skills to sustainably reduce obesogenic behaviours in an innovative way.

This will be done by a multidisciplinary consortium involving 13 organisations in eight European countries – Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

By providing new perspectives on obesity prevention the project will support the development and implementation of effective obesity prevention approaches by local authorities, public health and other practitioners. These perspectives will maximise the use of state of the art knowledge and will help policy makers to invest necessary resources in the most effective long-term prevention efforts. In addition, it will provide a stimulus for health scientists to explore further study possibilities to reduce (the burden of) obesity and flatten the social gradient associated with it.