Physical activity and public health

We work with a wide range of topics and research projects, with the main emphasis on understanding and promoting physical activity among children and young people. Our research focuses on:

• Physical activity in children: We investigate physical activity levels and how physical activity affects children's health, development, learning and well-being. Investigation of associations between physical activity, physical fitness, motor skills, cognition, self-regulation is a central focus area
• Intervention research in kindergarten and school: We carry out large-scale studies of staff professional development to promote physical activity among children in kindergartens and schools. Evaluation includes outcome evaluation of children's development and process evaluation to understand what works, for whom, and under what circumstances.
• Development and quality assessment of measurement instruments: We develop and assess measurement properties of instruments for measuring physical activity, physical fitness, motor skills, social-emotional functioning and well-being.
• Development of observation and mapping tools for the kindergarten: We develop tools that can be used to assess physical activity in the kindergarten for use in research and pedagogical development work.
• Development of analysis methods for physical activity data: We work on application of multivariate pattern analysis for use with accelerometer data. This includes practical use, interpretation of results and development of software.
• The health effect of cycling: We investigate how cycling, both with traditional bicycles and e-bikes, affects physical health, fitness and quality of life.
• Doping in sport: We study how asthma medication can affect physical performance and how use of such medication can be detected. We also study attitudes toward doping, with the aim of preventing doping and promoting clean sport.
• Participation in sports and cross-sector collaboration: We examine how children and young people who participate less in sports activities can be supported through Activity Guides across sectors.
• Empowerment and inclusion through football: We examine how the development and implementation of a football program for girls with low socioeconomic status in Brazil affects children's and young people's empowerment, inclusion, health, and performance, and we conduct comparative studies in the Norwegian context.

Projects

Head of research group