Lifestyle factors are recognized as a major determinant for the risk of non-communicable diseases, many of which are associated with obesity and disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism. Intake of cereal dietary fibre and whole grain type foods have in epidemiological studies been shown to be protective against type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As with food generally, the risk reduction is due to multiple food factors and physiological mechanisms. The EU HEALTHGRAIN project was in 2005–2010 a large attempt to address different research targets relevant for increasing the intake of protective factors of cereal grains (Poutanen et al., 2008). The topics studied ranged from dietary interventions and consumer attitudes to natural and induced variation in the raw materials, and development of technologies to bring more of the fibre and grain phytochemicals in the products. In the HEALTHGRAIN project, the content and effects of processing of dietary fibre and various bioactive compounds mainly in wheat grain was studied, including lignans, phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, phytosterols, folates, tocopherols and tocotrienols, other vitamins and minerals (Ward et al., 2008). New milling, fractionation and bioprocessing methods were developed to deliver more of these compounds in foods, and processing was also shown to be important for their bioavailability (Mateo Anson et al., 2011). Whole grain and fibre-rich cereal foods were shown to be important for appetite regulation, and the role of gastrointestinal fermentation in mediating beneficial effects in glucose metabolism was further demonstrated (Nilsson et al., 2010). The beneficial features of rye products in insulin responses were confirmed, and the potential of high-amylose wheat with respect to glycaemic control was shown. The role of betaine as one of the mediators of the protective effects of whole grain was also suggested (Price et al., 2010). In order to work on the whole grain production chain, the HEALTHGRAIN project linked different disciplines from plant breeding through food processing to human nutrition. In its dissemination and technology transfer element, it also linked academic and industrial actors together with other stakeholders in a dialogue about the importance of the nutritional quality of cereal foods. The work to use this major energy source worldwide for its full potential to assist in health maintenance continues in the Healthgrain Forum.