Contested Health and Illness Research Initiative (2024– )
This project explores contemporary controversies surrounding health, illness, and their treatments. It asks why, how, and by whom various topics related to health, nutrition, and disease become subjects of public debate. The project also investigates dietary movements as well as weight and health activism.
Principal Investigator: Piia Jallinoja
Survey on Finnish Attitudes Toward Obesity and Weight Loss (2025–2026)
Project Information will be updated soon.
Completed Projects
Media Controversies and the Construction of Expertise in Health – MEX (2019–2022)
In the MEX consortium, funded by the Research Council of Finland / Media and Society program, we studied public controversies and definitions of expertise related to health, nutrition, food, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers at Tampere University: Professor Piia Jallinoja, Project Researcher Marjaana Jones, Doctoral Researcher Terhi Koivumäki.
Also involved: University Lecturer Johanna Nurmi (University of Turku)
Background and Aim of MEX Project: Experts are increasingly being challenged in public discourse, especially in discussions about vaccinations and nutrition. Challengers include self-taught bloggers, celebrities, nutrition coaches, and fitness trainers. This phenomenon is particularly interesting in Finland, where comprehensive vaccination programs and healthy school and workplace meals are national success stories. International cultural trends, the individualization of lifestyles, and media transformation accelerate the questioning of science and criticism of experts.
MEX Data Includes
- “Healing Food” Dataset: Collected in collaboration with Helsingin Sanomat (Anna-Stina Nykänen) and the University of Helsinki (Mari Niva, Johanna Mäkelä). Includes both qualitative and quantitative data.
- Finnish Views on the COVID-19 Pandemic and Trust in Experts
- Data from the Mohawk Analytics Platform:
- Analysis of discussions on vauva.fi about childhood obesity
- Analysis of Twitter discussions on using vitamin D supplements to prevent COVID-19
Note: We ensure the anonymity of participants and follow good scientific practices. For more information, contact Prof. Piia Jallinoja (firstname.lastname @ tuni.fi).
POPRASUS Consortium (2016–2020)
We studied pioneering groups in sustainable eating, the growing interest in vegan diets, insect-based food economy, and REKO local food networks.
Partners: University of Helsinki and Finnish Environment Institute
Funding: Research Council of Finland
Smarter Social Media Analytics (SSMA)
We studied vegan diets on social media and in S Group stores, as well as special diets followed by Finns from 2008 to 2016.
FAT Project
Funder: Research Council of Finland
We analyzed phenomena related to dietary fats, such as the “fat wars,” the relationship between food choices, attitudes and socioeconomic status, changes in fat consumption, and Finnish low-carb dieters.
Beans in the Finnish Diet
We analyzed factors predicting the use of plant-based proteins, the replacement of meat with beans in relation to food motives, and barriers to using plant-based proteins.