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. Recent KE projects include

leading the ‘Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card’ (www.activehealthykidsscotland.co.uk),
international executive committee of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (www.activehealthykids.org)
membership of the Science and Evidence Group for the WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) https://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/en/
membership of the 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

I have over 300 peer-reviewed papers with an h index (October 2018) of 58 (Web of Science) and 74 (Google Scholar). Recent publications include the following:

Longitudinal changes in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity in children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis. MA Farooq, AM Gibson, X Janssen, AR Hughes, M, A Martin, JJ Reilly. Obes Rev 2020; 21: e12953.

Energy expenditure associated with posture transitions in pre-school children. KL Downing, X Janssen, DP Cliff, AD Okely, JJ Reilly. PLoS ONE 2019; 14 (4) e0215169

Non-linear associations between moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity and adiposity across the adiposity distribution during childhood and adolescence: Gateshead Millennium Study. X Janssen, L Basterfield, KN Parkinson, M Pearce, JK Reilly, AJ Adamson, JJ Reilly. Int J Obes 2019 43:744-750.

Longitudinal changes in vigorous intensity physical activity from childhood to adolescence

Gateshead Millennium Cohort Study M Reyes Beltran-Valls, X Janssen^,A Farooq^, AJ

Adamson, MS Pearce, JK Reilly, L Basterfield, JJ Reilly. J Sci Med Sport 2019; 22: 450-

455.

BMI versus deuterium dilution for establishing childhood obesity prevalence. A Diouf, T

Adom, A Aouidet, A El Hamdouchi, NI Joonas, CU Loechl, GH Leyna, D Mbithe, T

Moleah, A Monyeki, HL Nashandi, SMA Somda, JJ ReillyWHO Bulletin 2018; 96: 772-781.

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

Pediatric obesity and brain health : a novel and important topic – expert opinion of the European Childhood Obesity Group: Reilly John; Pediatric Obesity (2020)
Classification accuracy of body mass index for excessive body fatness in Kuwaiti adolescent girls and young adult women: Al Hammadi Hanouf, Reilly John J; Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy Vol 13, pp. 1043-1049 (2020); https://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S232545
Assessing the acceptability of an adapted preschool obesity prevention programme : ToyBox-Scotland: Malden Stephen, Reilly John J, Hughes Adrienne, Bardid Farid, Summerbell Carolyn, De Craemer Marieke, Cardon Greet, Androutsos Odysseas, Manios Yannis, Gibson Ann-Marie; Child: Care, Health and Development Vol 46, pp. 213-222 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12736
Variations in accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time across Europe - harmonized analyses of 47,497 children and adolescents: Steene-Johannessen Jostein, Hansen Bjørge Herman, Dalene Knut Eirik, Kolle Elin, Northstone Kate, Møller Niels Christian, Grøntved Anders, Wedderkopp Niels, Kriemler Susi, Page Angie S, Puder Jardena J, Reilly John J, Sardinha Luis B, van Sluijs Esther MF, Andersen Lars Bo, van der Ploeg Hidde, Ahrens Wolfgang, Flexeder Claudia, Standl Marie, Shculz Holger, Moreno Luis A, De Henauw Stefaan, Michels Nathalie, Cardon Greet, Ortega Francisco B, Ruiz Jonatan, Aznar Susana, Fogelholm Mikael, Decelis Andrew, Olesen Line Grønholt, Hjorth Mads Fiil, Santos Rute, Vale Susana, Christiansen Lars Breum, Jago Russ, Basterfield Laura, Owen Christopher G, Nightingale Claire M, Eiben Gabriele, Polito Angela, Lauria Fabio, Vanhelst Jeremy, Hadjigeorgiou Charalambos, Konstabel Kenn, Molnár Dénes, Sprengeler Ole, Manios Yannis, Harro Jaanus, Kafatos Anthony, Anderssen Sigmund Alfred, Ekelund Ulf; International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Vol 17 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00930-x
The South African 24-hour movement guidelines for birth to 5 years : an integration of physical activity, sitting behavior, screen time, and sleep: Draper Catherine E, Tomaz Simone A, Biersteker Linda, Cook Caylee J, Couper Jacqui, De Milander Monique, Flynn Kamesh, Giese Sonja, Krog Soezin, Lambert Estelle V, Liebenberg Tamarin, Mendoza Cyndi, Nunes Terri, Pienaar Anita, Priorieschi Alessandra, Rae Dale E, Rahbeeni Nafeesa, Reilly John J, Reynolds Louis, Samuels Marie Louise, Siljeur Ricardo, Urion Jody, Van Wyk Mariza, Okely Anthony D; Journal of Physical Activity and Health Vol 17, pp. 109-119 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2019-0187
Longitudinal changes in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity in children and adolescents : a systematic review and meta-analysis: Farooq Abdulaziz, Martin Anne, Janssen Xanne, Wilson Matthew G, Gibson Ann-Marie, Hughes Adrienne, Reilly John J; Obesity Reviews Vol 21 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12953

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

Active Healthy Kids Scotland (Event): Member; 2013
WHO Geneva Working Group (External organisation): Member; 2013
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (Event): Member; 2012
IAEA (Event): Advisor; 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: Muirhead, Fiona (Fellow) 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: 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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