Professor John Reilly

Physical Activity and Health

Personal statement

I joined the University in 2011 as John Anderson Research Leader and Professor of Physical Activity & Public Health Science. I was formerly Professor of Paediatric Energy Metabolism at the University of Glasgow.

My research work focuses on: prevention of child and adolescent obesity worldwide; the consequences of obesity and low physical activity in children and adolescents globally; the development and consequences of sedentary behaviour during childhood and adolescence globally; global monitoring of physical activity , sedentary behaviour and sleep in children and adolescents. I have been involved in a range of national and international Knowledge Exchange projects, including the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance www.activehealthykids.org, WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) https://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/en/ WHO Guideline Development Group on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep for the under 5’s https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/311664 • Chair of the UK Health Departments physical activity guidelines update for the Under 5’s https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/physical-activity-guidelines

Current Knowledge Exchange projects include:

FitBack Scotland- development of a system for national monitoring physical fitness in children and adolescents https://www.actify.org.uk/fitbackscot - Towards a Sustainable Monitoring System to Address the Physical Fitness Crisis in Scottish Children: FitBack Scotland (scottishinsight.ac.uk)

Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Cards on COVID-19 Impacts (2024; funded by the ESRC -IAA) and Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card (2026) www.activehealthykidsscotland.co.uk

Early Childhood Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep in Malawi: Impact Activities from Current Research and Co-creation of Future Research Plans with Stakeholders in Malawi. International Science Partnerships –Scottish Funding Council Funded 2024-25.

Publications

I have almost 400 peer-reviewed papers with an h index (December 2024) of 93 (Web of Science) and 103 (Google Scholar). Recent publications include the following:

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-108984

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-024-02104-2

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2824006

https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-024-01650-2 h

https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2023-0711.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2024.03.006

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.100869

https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdae022

https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2023-0679

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/apaq/aop/article-10.1123-apaq.2023-0131/article-10.1123-apaq.2023-0131.xml

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114523000387

https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12628

Expertise

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Area of Expertise

has expertise in:

childhood obesity: aetiology; diagnosis; prevention; treatment; consequences
objective measurement of physical activity and sedentary behaviour
longitudinal (birth cohort) studies, in particular with ALSPAC and GMS in the UK
systematic reviewing: evidence appraisal, and evidence - based guideline development
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour interventions in children and adolescents

Prize And Awards

Research Excellence Award: Recipient; 2024
Research Excellence Award: Recipient; 2023

More prizes and awards

Publications

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Publications

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motor competence in children and adolescents : a systematic review: Reilly John J, Glendenning Lucy, Govan Lucile; Journal of Sports Sciences (2025); https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2025.2555122
Prevalence and correlates of meeting World Health Organization 24-hour movement guidelines among 3-4 year-olds in Malawi : the cross-sectional SUNRISE Malawi study: Mwase-Vuma Tawonga W, Janssen Xanne, Okely Anthony D, Kayange Janine, Chong Kar Hau, Cross Penny, Evance Seth, Reilly John J; Journal of Physical Activity and Health , pp. 1-13 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2024-0650
Developing international consensus on key indicators for a 24-hour movement behaviour report card in early childhood : a twin-panel delphi study: Huang Wendy Y, Zhang Danqing, Tremblay Mark S, Wong Martin C S, Sit Cindy H P, Wong Sam W S, Chan Derwin K C, Wong Stephen H S, Bardid Farid, Reilly John,; Sports Medicine - Open Vol 11 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-025-00905-x
Perceptions of small animal nutrition : an exploration of education and self-reported proficiency among student veterinary professionals: Lumbis Rachel H, Fontaine Samantha J, Reilly John J, Yam Philippa S; Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (2025); https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme-2025-0010
iKids study protocol : a longitudinal study to understand the impact of interactive electronic devices on the development and health of young children in England: De Azevedo Liane Beretta, Stephenson John, Hughes Amy, Retzler Jenny, Reilly John J, Fairclough Stuart, Okely Tony, Jones Daniel, Smith Christine, Greca João Paulo de Aguiar, Marr Colette; BMJ open Vol 15 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-101523
Temporal associations of physical activity volume, intensity, and timing with sleep in preschool‐aged children: Huang Wendy Yajun, Feng Jie, Sit Cindy Hui‐Ping, Reilly John J, Khan Asaduzzaman; Journal of Sleep Research (2025); https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.70162

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Teaching

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Teaching

I teach on the BSc Sport & Physical Activity degree, mainly in the Physical Activity & Health classes (e.g. Sports Nutrition), and supervise students doing mini-research projects in 3^rd year and larger research dissertation projects in 4^th year.

Research

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