Achieving Behaviour Change; Diet and Exercise

Research in this programme seeks to positively influence physical activity levels and dietary intake by understanding the determinants of behaviour change.

ABCDE is a research programme which consists of a multidisciplinary team who address the aim of the programme by researching at different levels of the ecological framework.  There is a visible demand for improving the health of the nation, and the research members of this programme seek to indirectly address this by positivelyinfluencing physical activity levels and dietary intake by understanding the determinants of behaviour change.

ABCDE will achieve the aim of the overall research programme by:

• Exploring design, development, implementation and evaluation of physical activity, exercise and health interventions across a range of settings and population groups

• Exploring eating practice, implementing and evaluating dietary interventions

• Exploring environmental influences on physical activity, exercise and health behaviour

• Developing measurement tools to determine the activity ‘friendliness’ of buildings

• Developing mechanisms for the objective measurement of physical activity

• Developing ‘tools’ to aid an increase in physical activity participation

• Assessing influences of policy/strategy on the above

Research Areas and aligned lines of enquiry

Physical Activity and Health Policy Evaluation

• Evaluation of policy on the physical activity at a population level

• Physical activity and health policy evaluation

Enhancing physical activity levels

• Impact of the built environment on physical activity levels 

• Use of communication technology to enhance physical activity levels

Exploring eating practice

• Investigating eating practice within different population groups
• Utilising technology to enhance nutritional knowledge

Work place Health