EU funds AI to spot disease risk early in children and teens

The European Union has launched a major research initiative called SmartCHANGE to trial AI-powered tools to predict and prevent chronic diseases in children and adolescents.

The programme, funded by Horizon Europe to the tune of €8 million, aims to fill a gap in early detection of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among ages 5 to 19.

Physicians often rely on general indicators such as body mass index (BMI) or personal clinical judgement to assess risks in young people. These methods can overlook deeper metabolic or behavioural signals that precede disease.

SmartCHANGE plans to build risk prediction tools specially tailored for youth to enable earlier, evidence-based intervention. Over the next year, feasibility studies will roll out in Portugal, the Netherlands, Finland, Slovenia and Taiwan.

These trials will test two digital applications: a gamified mobile app, HappyPlant for children and families, to support healthy habits; and a companion web app for healthcare professionals offering explainable AI-driven risk insights and guidance.

Privacy and trust are central to SmartCHANGE. The programme uses federated learning to keep data local while only anonymised model updates are shared. Explainable AI techniques will also allow professionals to see how decisions are made, helping to identify bias and build acceptance.

SmartCHANGE is designed with scalability in mind. Results from these pilots will help refine the tools, inform implementation strategy, and may feed into wider EU or global efforts in youth health, digital well-being, and AI governance.

As chronic disease remains a leading global health burden, early, ethical and transparent interventions could make a significant difference.

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