Professor John Reilly

Physical Activity for Health

Personal statement

Professor John J Reilly

Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health Science

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: interventions for the 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 and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents.

I am involved in a range of national and international Knowledge Exchange projects. This includes leading the ‘Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card’ (www.activehealthykidsscotland.co.uk), a ‘state of the nation’ report on the physical activity and health of Scottish children and adolescents. I am on the international executive committee of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (www.activehealthykids.org) which is responsible for publication of Active Healthy Kids Report Cards in over 50 countries, and an international report card. I have been involved in a number of WHO initiatives, including: membership of the Ad hoc group on science & evidence for ending childhood obesity (2014-2015; which contributed to the Ending Childhood Obesity, ‘ECHO’ report in 2016); reviews of evidence to inform updating guidance on integrated management of childhood illness by incorporating perspectives on obesity and NCD prevention (2015-2016); physical activity component of the Healthy Lifecourse Trajectories Initiative HeLTI (2016-2017); membership of the WHO Guideline Development Group on 24 Hour Movement Behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, screen-time) for the Early Years (2017-2018).

I am an editor of the journals ‘Pediatric Obesity’ and ‘Journal of Measurement of Physical Behaviour’. I have nearly 300 peer-reviewed papers with an h index (Web of Science, June 2017) of 54.Recent publications include the following:

Longitudinal associations between childhood obesity and academic achievement: systematic review with focus group data. A Martin, JN Booth, S McGeown, A Niven, J Sproule, DH Saunders, JJ Reilly. Curr Obes Rep 2017 6:297-313.

Early life obesity prevention: critique of intervention trials during the first 1000 days. JJ Reilly, A Martin, AR Hughes. Curr Obes Rep 2017; 6:127-133.

Health impact of catch-up growth in low-birth weight infants: systematic review, evidence appraisal, and meta-analysis. A Martin, A Connelly, RM Bland, JJ Reilly. Maternal & Child Nutr 2017; 13: e12297

Timing of the decline in physical activity in childhood and adolescence: Gateshead Millennium Cohort StudyA Farooq , KN Parkinson, AJ Adamson, MS Pearce, JK Reilly, AR Hughes, X Janssen, L Basterfield, JJ Reilly.Br J Sports Med 2017, In press

Global Matrix 2.0: report card grades on the physical activity of children and youth comparing 38 countries. MS Tremblay, JD Barnes, SA Gonzalez, PT Katzmarzyk, V Onywera, JJ Reilly, GR Tomkinson. J Phys Act & Health 2016; 13; suppl 2 s343-s366.

Development of sedentary behavior across childhood and adolescence: longitudinal analysis of the Gateshead Millennium Study. X Janssen, K Mann, L Basterfield, KN Parkinson, MS Pearce, JK Reilly, AJ Adamson, JJ Reilly. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2016; 13:88.

Associations between obesity and cognition in the pre-school years. A Martin, JN Booth, D Young, M Revie, AC Boyter, B Johnston, PD Tomporowski, JJ Reilly. Obesity 2016; 24: 207-214.

Timing of adiposity rebound and adiposity in adolescence. AR Hughes, DA Lawlor, AR Ness, JJ Reilly. Pediatrics 2014; 134; e1354-e1361.

Obesity impairs academic attainment in adolescence: findings from ALSPAC, a UK cohort. J Booth, C Joinson, J Boyle, SD Leary, PD Tomporowski, AR Ness, JJ Reilly. Int J Obes 2014; 38:1335-1342

Associations between objectively measured physical activity and academic attainment in adolescents from a UK cohort. J Booth, C Joinson, J Boyle, SD Leary, PD Tomporowski, AR Ness, JJ Reilly. Br J Sports Med 2014; 48:265-270.

Expertise

Has expertise in:

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

Publications

Protocol for validating simple measures of body fatness and physical activity of children in twelve African countries : the ROUND-IT Africa study: El Hamdouchi A, Adom T, Aouidet A, Agueh VD, Diouf A, Joonus NI, Leyna GH, Mbithe KD, Moleah T, Monyeki MA, Nakimbugwe D, Nashandi HL, Simpara AF, Somda SMA, Reilly JJ, Loech C; African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences Vol 25, pp. 142-173 (2019)
Protocol for Healthy Habits Happy Homes (4H) Scotland : feasibility of a participatory approach to adaptation and implementation of a study aimed at early prevention of obesity: Gillespie Jenny, Hughes Adrienne, Gibson Ann-Marie, Haines Jess, Taveras Elsie, Reilly John J; BMJ Open Vol 9, pp. 1-7 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028038
The ToyBox pre-school obesity prevention intervention for use in Scotland : results of a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT): Malden S, Hughes A, Gibson AM, Bardid F, Androutsos O, De Craemer M, Manios Y, Summerbell C, Cardon G, Reilly J; International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting, pp. 156 (2019)
International comparison of the levels and potential correlates of objectively measured sedentary time and physical activity among three-to-four-year-old children: Dias Kaiseree I, White James, Jago Russell, Cardon Greet, Davey Rachel, Janz Kathleen F, Pate Russell R, Puder Jardena J, Reilly John J, Kipping Ruth; International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol 16 (2019); https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16111929
Feasibility of wearable cameras to assess screen time and time spent restrained in children aged 3 to 5 years : a study protocol: Downing Katherine L, Janssen Xanne, Reilly John J; BMJ Open Vol 9 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028265
Translating the ToyBox obesity prevention intervention to the Scottish preschool setting : adaptation processes and implementation challenges: Malden S, Hughes A, Gibson A, Bardid F, Reilly J; 26th European Congress on Obesity, pp. 30 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1159/000497797

more publications

Teaching

I teach on the BSc Sport & Physical Activity degree, mainly in the Physical Activity & Health classes, and supervise students doing mini-research projects in 3^rd year and larger research projects in 4^th year. I aim to develop an MSc in Physical Activity & Health, from 2017-2018.

Research interests

My research work focuses on: interventions for the prevention of child and adolescent obesity worldwide; the consequences of obesity and low physical activity in children and adolescents (including impacts on academic attainment); the development and consequences of sedentary behaviour during childhood and adolescence in low-middle income countries as well as high income countries.

I am an editor of the journal ‘Pediatric Obesity’, and have over 200 peer-reviewed papers with an h index of 42.Recent publications include the following:

Obesity impairs academic attainment in adolescence: findings from ALSPAC, a UK cohort. J Booth, C Joinson, J Boyle, SD Leary, PD Tomporowski, AR Ness, JJ Reilly. Int J Obes, In press.

Associations between objectively measured physical activity and academic attainment in adolescents. J Booth, C Joinson, J Boyle, SD Leary, PD Tomporowski, AR Ness, JJ Reilly. Br J Sports Med 2014; 48:265-270.

Research priorities in child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour: a global perspective using a twin-panel Delphi Procedure. L Gillis, JJ Reilly et al. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2013;10: 112.

Professional activities

WHO Geneva Working Group (External organisation): Member; 2013
Active Healthy Kids Scotland (Event): Member; 2013
IAEA (Event): Advisor; 2012
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (Event): Member; 2012
BMBF (External organisation): Member; 2009
Finnish Academy of Sciences (External organisation): Member; 2009

more professional activities

Projects

Prevention of obesity, diabetes and some cancers in early childhood: translation of the 'ToyBox' pre-school intervention to Scotland: Reilly, John (Principal Investigator) Gibson, Ann-Marie (Co-investigator) Hughes, Adrienne (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2016 - 30-Jan-2019
Development and evaluation of active and outdoor play as a strategy for increasing physical activity of children.: Hughes, Adrienne (Co-investigator) Reilly, John (Principal Investigator); 30-Jan-2016 - 29-Jan-2018
Healthy Habits Happy Homes: Translation of an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention to Socio-economically Deprived Families in Scotland : 3 year studentship for Kyla Booth: Reilly, John (Principal Investigator) Gibson, Ann-Marie (Co-investigator) Hughes, Adrienne (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2015 - 30-Jan-2019
Development and feasibility/pilot testing of an intervention to support active lifestyles in youth with Type 1 diabetes. The ActivPals programme: Kirk, Alison (Principal Investigator) Reilly, John (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2015 - 31-Jan-2016
Development and feasibility/pilot testing of an intervention to support active lifestyles in youth with Type 1 diabetes. The ActivPals programme: Muirhead, Fiona (Fellow) Kirk, Alison (Principal Investigator) Reilly, John (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2015 - 31-Jan-2016
Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour in early childhood: a group randomised controlled effectiveness trial: Reilly, John (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2014 - 31-Jan-2017

more projects

Address

Physical Activity for Health
Graham Hills Building

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