Physical Activity and Public Health Research Group
Group overview
The focus of the Physical Activity and Public Health Research Group lies primarily in ‘lifestyle’ physical activities, such as walking, which provide individuals with an accessible means of protecting or enhancing their health.
Prof Stuart Biddle talks about his research
This is often outside of traditional concepts of sport and 'structured' exercise, although 'physical activity for health' can include such activities for some. We are also interested in sedentary behaviours, such as television / computer use, and how they compete or co-exist with physical activity and other health behaviours (e.g. healthy eating).
Recent estimates place physical inactivity second only to smoking as the world's leading cause of preventable deaths (~2 million per annum). The work of the Physical Activity and Public Health group is, therefore, particularly timely. The focus is very much based on social and behaviour science research perspectives as we seek ways of helping to improve health at the population level. We are closely aligned to a ‘behavioural medicine’ approach to translational science.
Our research activities can be grouped into the following key areas:
- the social and psychological correlates (determinants) of 'active' and 'sedentary' behaviours, especially in young people.
- the design and testing of interventions, which seek to engage individuals in health-enhancing behaviours such as walking, stair climbing, and reduced sedentary behaviour.
- the development and testing of measurement tools for use in the area.
- the impact of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on psychological and physical well-being.
Research Projects
The group enjoys considerable success in securing external funding for its research work.
Current projects include:
- Project STAND (funded by the MRC and NPRI partners) – the development and testing of an intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in young adults at risk of diabetes (contact: Stuart Biddle)
- iConnect (Impact of Constructing Non-motorised Networks and Evaluating Changes in Travel) (funded by EPSRC) - aims to measure and evaluate the changes in travel, physical activity and carbon emissions related to Sustrans’ Connect2 programme (Emma Adams)
- Evaluation of ‘Fitter for Walking, ‘Step Up’ and ‘Walking Works’ (Living Streets) (Emma Adams)
- Evaluations of 'Great Activity Programme' (The Coca-Cola Foundation) (Trish Gorely)
- Measurement of physical activity using pedometers (Stacy Clemes)
Completed projects include:
- Project ALPHA (funded by the European Union) - review and recommendations concerning self-report measures of physical activity for young people suitable for population-level surveillance (Stuart Biddle)
- Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (funding from World Health Organisation) (Fiona Bull)
- Sedentary behaviour in youth: 'Project STIL' (funded by the British Heart Foundation, Health Education Board for Scotland, and Masterfoods Inc.) (Stuart Biddle)
- Increasing demand for sport and physical activity by girls (SportScotland) (Stuart Biddle)
- Evaluation of 'Great Fun 2 Run' (The Coca-Cola Foundation) (Trish Gorely)
- Well@Work: promoting active and healthy workplaces (funded by Department of Health, Sport England, Big Lotteries and British Heart Foundation) (Emma Adams)
- Reviews of evidence concerning physical activity and young people for NICE (Department of Public Health via the University of Oxford) (Stuart Biddle)
Latest Achievements
21 Dec 2011
The Group is pleased to announce that Dr Natalie Pearson has received an Early Career Award from the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine.
29 Nov 2011
The group is pleased to announce that Dr Natalie Pearson was shortlisted for the Scopus Young Researcher Award.
Group Members
- Professor Stuart Biddle (Group Leader)
- Dr Stacy Clemes
- Dr Clare Stevinson
- Dr Oliver Webb
- Professor Fiona Bull (part-time)
Researchers:
- Emma Adams (BHFNC)
- Dr Charlotte Edwardson (Project STAND)
- Dr Trish Gorely (Senior Research Associate, Institute of Youth Sport)
- Dr Natalie Pearson
Current PhD students and topics:
- Mavis Asare (Ghana): Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and mental health in youth.
- Silvia Costa (Portugal): Measurement of physical activity in a bi-ethnic sample of toddlers.
- Iuliana Hartescu (UK): Physical activity and insomnia.
- Kongsak Jawana (Thailand): Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and disability in youth.
- Aadil Kazi: Interventions to promote physical activity in the workplace.
- Clarice Lim (Singapore): Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and the family.
- Sophie O’Connell (UK): Seasonal changes in lifestyle health behaviours.
- Paul Sanderson (UK): Obesity in military populations.
Official Visiting Academics:
- Dr John Wang (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)
- Dr Emma Wilmot (University Hospitals of Leicester)
Other staff with a particular expertise and close involvement in the physical activity and public health group:
- Dr Kathryn Brooke-Wavell (Human Biology)
- Dr Lorraine Cale (Physical Activity & Young People)
- Professor Myra Nimmo (Physiology)
- Dr Brett Smith (Psychology)
- Dr Chris Spray (Psychology)
- Dr David Stensel (Physiology)
- Dr Keith Tolfrey (Physiology)
- Dr Ines Varela-Silva (Human Biology; Centre for Global Health and Human Development)
Affiliations with other groups, centres and institutes
Research in the Physical Activity and Public Health domain is often multi-disciplinary. As such, we enjoy frequent collaborations with other research groups, both within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences and at other academic institutions. We are also closely linked to international networks through Professor Fiona Bull's work with the Global Physical Activity Alliance, and with Professor Stuart Biddle being President of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009-2010.
The group is further strengthened by its close relationship with the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health (BHFNC), and Institute of Youth Sport, both housed within the School. The BHFNC, directed by Professor Fiona Bull and Sonia McGeorge, is renowned for its work in disseminating health information and interventions at national level.
Postgraduate Opportunities
Group members lead and contribute to the MSc Physical Activity and Public Health programme.
In addition, there are opportunities to apply for research degrees (MPhil/PhD) in the area. Those interested in applying for these may find it helpful to initially email a member of staff with research interests close to the area that might be studied.