Research Methods in Physical Activity and Health

This is the first book to present the issues associated with physical activity and health research and introduce students to the methods available. The book works through the full research process, from devising a proposal, through selecting a research methodology and quantifying physical activity and outcome measures, to disseminating findings.

Stephen R. Bird is a Research Group Leader at RMIT University, Australia. He has over 30 years of experience working in the University and Hospital sectors in the field of Health and Exercise. He has authored five books in the field, as well as numerous book chapters and over 100 articles on the subject. He is an active member of numerous professional associations, including being a former Chair of the Physiology Section of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. His current research interests include physical activity for older people, the prevention of chronic diseases, and the use of exercise in rehabilitation programs.

1. Why Research into Health and Physical Activity? 2.The Historical and Current Context for Research into Health and Physical Activity 3. Health Concepts 4. Nurture vs Nature: The Genetics and Epigenetics of Exercise 5. Systematically Searching and Reviewing the Literature 6. Producing the Research Proposal 7. Ethical Issues in Health and Physical Activity Research 8. Observational (Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal) Studies 9. Interviews and Focus Groups 10. Questionnaires 11. Notes and Tips on Surveys 12. Qualitative Research in Physical Activity and Health 13. Intervention studies, training studies and determining the acute responses to bouts of exercise 14. An Introduction to Research Methods in the Epidemiology of Health and Physical Activity 15. Research into Sedentary Behaviour 16. Ensuring Quality Data: Validity, Reliability and Error 17. Quantitative Data Analyses 18. Measurement of Physical Behaviours in Free-Living Populations 19. Measurements of Physical Health and Functional Capacity 20. Physical activity and the "feel-good" effect: challenges in researching the pleasure and displeasure people feel when they exercise 21. Studying the Risks of Exercise and Its Negative Impacts 22. Research Studies with Children 23. Research Studies with Older People 24. Working with Indigenous and Other Cultural Groups 25. Research Methods in Physical Activity and Health: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 26. Conducting Physical Activity Research Within Chronic Disease Populations 29. Using Health Equity to Guide Future Physical Activity Research Involving People Living with Serious Mental Illness 30. Disseminating the Research Findings 31. Translating Research Findings into Community Interventions. Considerations for Design and Implementation: A Case Based Approach. 32. Translating Research Findings Into Community Interventions. Considerations for Design and Implementation: A Case Based Approach