SONETTO, a new European project for the prevention of sarcopenic obesity by nutrition, exercise and technology

This project was submitted to the Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) call under Horizon Europe. The aim of this call is to strengthen sustainable, people‑centred and innovative health systems through prevention, digital solutions, and care. The Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) is acting as the funding agency, and is prioritising collaboration between Health Research Institutes (IIS) and primary care, as strengthening primary care is a central objective of the call.
Many older adults experience sarcopenic obesity, a combination of being overweight and having reduced muscle mass and strength. This condition leads to health problems and increased need for care. SONETTO aims to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity in primary healthcare, focusing on people around retirement age.

The project is coordinated by Prof. Peter Weijs of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, and involves collaboration with partners from five other countries, including two Spanish institutions: IRYCIS and IDIPAZ. Dr Victoria Castell, a primary care physician and researcher affiliated with IDIPAZ who works at the Primary Care Centre Doctor Castroviejo will contribute clinical expertise and insight from her experience in everyday primary care practice, and will recruit participants for the clinical trial. IRYCIS's activities are is led by Dr Alfonso Cruz-Jentoft, Head of the Geriatrics Department and the Geriatrics Group (IRYCIS Area 5). He is an internationally recognised leader in the fields of sarcopenia and geriatric nutrition. His team also includes Dr Beatriz Montero-Errasquín, who is actively collaborating on the project. SONETTO builds on the successful SO-NUTS project, in which a digital personalised intervention optimizing nutrition and physical activity behaviour was developed. The project also involves the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians and the European Association for the Study of Obesity.

The project aims to promote healthy nutrition, increased physical activity, and positive lifestyle changes among people approaching retirement age. It will use a blended care approach combining digital tools, such as a home‑support app, with professional guidance. By training healthcare professionals and facilitating early intervention in sarcopenic obesity, the project aims to help older adults remain healthy and independent for longer, reduce chronic diseases and hospital admissions, and enhance access to care. The knowledge generated will support education and research, preparing future professionals for effective digital and blended care delivery.
"Congratulations to the IRYCIS team for contributing to a more sustainable, accessible, and preventive healthcare system."