Sally E Barber

• PhD
• Director of physical activity research at Bradford Institute for Health Research

Introduction: Whole system approaches to public health challenges such as low physical activity levels have the potential to create sustained behaviour change at a population level and tackle health inequalities. However, there is currently little evidence of the nature or effectiveness of adopting whole system approaches. This study evaluated whet...

Background Supportive policy is an important component of a whole-systems approach to increasing physical activity and reducing inequalities. There is a growing body of literature surrounding the design and effectiveness of national policy approaches to physical activity, but evidence related to local-level approaches is lacking. The aim of this st...

Background Islamic leaders, staff, and Muslim parents in the UK are supportive of healthy lifestyle intervention delivery through Islamic Religious Settings. Such interventions are necessary given high obesity rates in British South Asian (40%) compared to White British (32%) children of equivalent age. Co-production can facilitate the development...

Introduction: Whole systems approaches are being adopted to tackle physical inactivity. The mechanisms contributing to changes resulting from whole system approaches are not fully understood. The voices of children and families that these approaches are designed for need to be heard to understand what is working, for whom, where, and in what contex...

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors identified that the funding section was incomplete. The incorrect and correct funding section is shown below. The original article has been updated.

Background Engaging in regular physical activity requires continued complex decision-making in varied and dynamic individual, social and structural contexts. Widespread shortfalls of physical activity interventions suggests the complex underlying mechanisms of change are not yet fully understood. More insightful process evaluations are needed to de...

Background In England, the onset of COVID-19 and a rapidly increasing infection rate resulted in a lockdown (March-June 2020) which placed strict restrictions on movement of the public, including children. Using data collected from children living in a multi-ethnic city with high levels of deprivation, this study aimed to: (1) report children’s sel...

Wearable activity trackers (wearables) embed numerous behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that have previously been shown to increase adult physical activity (PA). With few children and adolescents achieving PA guidelines, it is crucial to explore ways to increase their PA. This systematic review examined the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiv...

Sedentary behaviour (sitting) is a risk factor for adverse health outcomes. The classroom environment has traditionally been associated with prolonged periods of sitting in children. The aim of this study was to examine the potential impact of an environmental intervention, the addition of sit–stand desks in the classroom, on school children’s sitt...

Background In England, the onset of COVID-19 and a rapidly increasing infection rate resulted in a lockdown (March-June 2020) which placed strict restrictions on movement of the public, including children. Using data collected from children living in a multi-ethnic city with high levels of deprivation, this study aimed to: (1) report childrens self...

Background: Screen viewing (SV) in preschool children is a major public health issue. Empirical studies relate excessive SV and rapid technological advances to increased sedentary behaviour for this age group. The context in which infant SV behaviour takes place, and the barriers and facilitators to reducing SV, are not well understood. This study...

Regular physical activity is important for children’s physical and mental wellbeing and academic performance. Unfortunately, too many children are not moving enough. Globally, 50% of children don’t meet the internationally-recognized target of 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This rises to four out of five children in wes...

Traditional classroom furniture dictates that children predominantly sit during class time. This study evaluated the impact of providing standing desks within a deprived UK primary school setting over 8 months using mixed-method approaches. All children within a Year 5 class (9-10-year-olds, n = 30) received an adjustable sit-stand desk, while anot...

Background Sedentary behaviour (sitting) is a highly prevalent negative health behaviour, with individuals of all ages exposed to environments that promote prolonged sitting. The school classroom represents an ideal setting for environmental change through the provision of sit–stand desks. Objectives The aim of this study was to undertake a pilot...

Background: Excessive sedentary behaviour (sitting) is a risk factor for poor health in children and adults. Incorporating sit-stand desks in the classroom environment has been highlighted as a potential strategy to reduce children's sitting time. The primary aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of conducting a cluster randomised contr...

The Born in Bradford (BiB) cohort of 13,776 children born between 2007-2011 and their parents provides a rich data resource for researchers exploring protective and risk factors influencing long-term developmental and health outcomes. Educational attainment is a critical factor related to later health. Literacy and communication, fine motor skills...

The Born in Bradford (BiB) cohort of 13,776 children born between 2007-2011 and their parents provides a rich data resource for researchers exploring protective and risk factors influencing long-term developmental and health outcomes. Educational attainment is a critical factor related to later health. Literacy and communication, fine motor skills...

Objective Physical activity is advocated for a range of benefits to the uncomplicated pregnancy. We investigated associations of mid-pregnancy physical activity with maternal and neonatal health in white British and Pakistani-origin women from a deprived urban setting. Methods The study was performed in 6921 pregnant women (53% Pakistani-origin) w...

Background: UK and global policies recommend whole-school approaches to improve childrens' inadequate physical activity (PA) levels. Yet, recent meta-analyses establish current interventions as ineffective due to suboptimal implementation rates and poor sustainability. To create effective interventions, which recognise schools as complex adaptive...

Background: Evidence suggests that South Asian school-aged children and adults are less active compared to the white British population. It is unknown if this generalises to young children. We aimed to describe variability in levels of physical activity and sedentary time in a bi-ethnic sample of young children from a deprived location. Methods:...

Background UK and global policies recommend whole-school approaches to improve childrens’ inadequate physical activity (PA) levels. Yet, recent meta-analyses establish current interventions as ineffective due to suboptimal implementation rates and poor sustainability. To create effective interventions, which recognise schools as complex adaptive su...

Background: Evidence suggests that South Asian school-aged children and adults are less active compared to the white British population. It is unknown if this generalises to young children. We aimed to describe variability in levels of physical activity and sedentary time in a bi-ethnic sample of young children from a deprived location. Methods: Th...

Background: Evidence suggests that South Asian school-aged children and adults are less active compared to the white British population. It is unknown if this generalises to young children. We aimed to describe variability in levels of physical activity and sedentary time in a bi-ethnic sample of young children from a deprived location. Methods: Th...

Background: Evidence suggests that South Asian school-aged children and adults are less active compared to the white British population. It is unknown if this generalises to young children. We aimed to describe variability in levels of physical activity and sedentary time in a bi-ethnic sample of young children from a deprived location. Methods: Th...

Background: Physical activity performed while pregnant is beneficially associated with maternal cardiovascular health. It is unknown if benefits extend to neonatal cardiovascular health. This study investigated associations of maternal physical activity with neonatal cord blood lipid and lipoprotein concentrations. Methods: Cord blood lipids wer...

Economic, physical, built, cultural, learning, social and service environments have a profound effect on lifelong health. However, policy thinking about health research is dominated by the ‘biomedical model’ which promotes medicalisation and an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment at the expense of prevention. Prevention research has tended to focus...

Economic, physical, built, cultural, learning, social and service environments have a profound effect on lifelong health. However, policy thinking about health research is dominated by the 'biomedical model' which promotes medicalisation and an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment at the expense of prevention. Prevention research has tended to focus...

Objectives To investigate factors associated with movement behaviours among White British (WB) and South Asian (SA) children aged 6–8 years during school terms and holidays. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Three primary schools from the Bradford area, UK. Participants One hundred and sixty WB and SA children aged 6–8 years. Primary and secondar...

Background Born in Bradford (BiB) is a prospective multi-ethnic pregnancy and birth cohort study that was established to examine determinants of health and development during childhood and, subsequently, adult life in a deprived multi-ethnic population in the north of England. Between 2007 and 2010, the BiB cohort recruited 12,453 women who experie...

Abstract Background Sedentary behaviour (SB) in childhood is a major public health concern. Little is known about ethnic differences in SB during school and holiday weeks among White British (WB) and South Asian (SA) children, which this study aims to address through investigating inclinometer measured SB and exploring reasons for child engagement...

Background: There is insufficient evidence of sitting time in UK children from validated objective measures. This study explored sitting patterns in primary school children from Bradford, UK, using the validated activPAL inclinometer. Methods: Overall, 79 children (9.8 (SD 0.3) years old, 52% boys; 70% South Asian) wore activPALs for 7 days. Tot...

Background Sedentary behaviour (sitting) is a highly prevalent negative health behaviour, with individuals of all ages exposed to environments that promote prolonged sitting. Excessive sedentary behaviour adversely affects health in children and adults. As sedentary behaviour tracks from childhood into adulthood, the reduction of sedentary time in...

Background: Sedentary behaviour (sitting) is a highly prevalent negative health behaviour, with individuals of allages exposed to environments that promote prolonged sitting. Excessive sedentary behaviour adversely affects health inchildren and adults. As sedentary behaviour tracks from childhood into adulthood, the reduction of sedentary time inyo...

Objective To assess relationships between dietary intake at age 12, 18 and 36 months and BMI Z -scores at age 36 months in a bi-ethnic group. Design A prospective cohort study comparing cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Exposures included dietary intake at 12, 18 and 36 months (FFQ) with an outcome of BMI Z -score at age 36 months. Setting B...

Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of the long-term use of sit-to-stand desks in reducing classroom sitting time in a school in Bradford, UK. Methods: A controlled trial was conducted over an 8-month period (November-July 2015/16) in two year 5 classrooms from different primary schools; every child in the intervention class received an Ergotr...

Background: High levels of sedentary behaviour (SB) in childhood are increasingly common and damaging for child health and well-being. This study explored ethnic differences in SB during school and holiday weeks in White British (WB) and South Asian (SA) children in West Yorkshire, UK. Methods: A convergent parallel design, mixed methods approach w...

There is a dearth of suitable metrics capable of objectively quantifying motor competence. Further, objective movement quality characteristics during free play have not been investigated in pre-school children. The aims of this study were to characterize children's free play physical activity and investigate how gait quality characteristics cluster...

Background Excessive screen viewing in early childhood is associated with poor physical and psycho-social health and poor cognitive development. This study aimed to understand the prevalence, trajectory and determinants of television viewing time in early childhood to inform intervention development. Methods In this prospective longitudinal study,...

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate associations of objectively measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary time with adiposity in a predominantly biethnic (South Asian and White British) sample of young children. Methods: The sample included 333 children age 11 months to 5 yr who provided 526 cross-sectional observations for PA and body...

PURPOSE: To investigate associations of objectively-measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) with adiposity in a predominantly bi-ethnic (South Asian and White British) sample of young children. METHODS: The sample included 333 children aged 11 months to 5 years who provided 526 cross-sectional observations for PA and body compositio...

Study objectives: To examine independent associations of sleep duration with total and abdominal adiposity, and the bidirectionality of these associations, in a young bi-ethnic sample of children from a disadvantaged location. Methods: Child sleep duration (h/day) was parent-reported by questionnaire and indices of total (body weight, body mass...

Introduction Physical activity, particularly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is a key lifestyle behaviour for good health. For children in the early years (2-5 years) engaging in high levels of MVPA could lead to improved bone/skeletal development, adiposity and metabolic status. MVPA has also been found to track from early childhood...

CONTEXT: Being physically active during the early years (age 0-6 years) is vital for healthy development. Identifying correlates and determinants of physical activity (PA) is crucial to guide effective interventions. This systematic review synthesized studies investigating potential correlates and determinants of PA during the early years, accounti...

Children spend between 50 and 70 % of their time sitting while at school. Independent of physical activity levels, prolonged sitting is associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood. While there is mixed evidence of health associations among children and adolescents, public health guidelines in the USA, UK, Australia and Canada now recommend yo...

Context: Being physically active during the early years (age 0-6 years) is vital for healthy development. Identifying correlates and determinants of physical activity (PA) is crucial to guide effective interventions. This systematic review synthesized studies investigating potential correlates and determinants of PA during the early years, account...

Measuring physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) in young children (<5 years) is complex. Objective measures have high validity but require specialist expertise, are expensive, and can be burdensome for participants. A proxy-report instrument for young children that accurately measures PA and ST is needed. The aim of this study was to asses...

Introduction: This study investigated the validity of two brief cognitive tests (Memory Alteration Test [M@T] and Test Your Memory [TYM] test) for identifying people with aMCI in the community. Methods: Older people were invited to participate by their general practitioner practice. Eligible participants were assessed for aMCI using an operation...

There is an absence of evidence about interventions to prevent or treat obesity in early childhood and in South Asian populations, in whom risk is higher. Objectives To study patterns and the aetiology of childhood obesity in a multiethnic population and develop a prevention intervention. Design A cohort of pregnant women and their infants was re...

Motor deficits are linked to a range of negative physical, social and academic consequences. Haptic robotic interventions, based on the principles of sensorimotor learning, have been shown previously to help children with motor problems learn new movements. We therefore examined whether the training benefits of a robotic system would generalise to...

Background: The prevalence of infant obesity is increasing, but there is a lack of evidence-based approaches to prevent obesity at this age. This study tested the acceptability and feasibility of evaluating a theory-based intervention aimed at reducing risk of obesity in infants of overweight/obese women during and after pregnancy: the Healthy and...

Background: The prevalence of infant obesity is increasing, but there is a lack of evidence-based approaches to prevent obesity at this age. This study tested the acceptability and feasibility of evaluating a theory-based intervention aimed at reducing risk of obesity in infants of overweight/obese women during and after pregnancy: the Healthy and...

Background: The prevalence of infant obesity is increasing, but there is a lack of evidence-based approaches to prevent obesity at this age. This study tested the acceptability and feasibility of evaluating a theory-based intervention aimed at reducing risk of obesity in infants of overweight/obese women during and after pregnancy: the Healthy and...

This study presents a worked example of a stepped process to reliably estimate the habitual physical activity and sedentary time of a sample of young children. A total of 299 children (2.9 ± 0.6 years) were recruited. Outcome variables were daily minutes of total physical activity, sedentary time, moderate to vigorous physical activity and proporti...

Background: Few evidence-based physical activity interventions for pre-school children are available. This two-armed pilot cluster randomised controlled trial aimed to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a full-scale trial and of delivering an outdoor physical activity intervention for pre-school children. Methods: School was the unit of randomi...

Many modifiable risk factors in early infancy have been shown to be associated with childhood overweight and obesity. These risk factors have not been studied within children of South Asian origin in the UK. The aims of this paper are to describe differences in the prevalence of modifiable risk factors for childhood obesity between children of Whit...

Background: The reported lower physical activity (PA) levels of British South Asians (SA) are suggested as a key influence in their increased risk of non-communicable diseases compared to their White British peers. Differences in objectively measured PA and sedentary behaviour (SB) between these ethnic groups have been observed during childhood (a...

This research examined the influence of sit-to-stand desks on classroom sitting time in primary school children. Pilot controlled trials with similar intervention strategies were conducted in primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, and Bradford, UK. Sit-to-stand desks replaced all standard desks in the Australian intervention classroom. Six sit-to...

Purpose: Television viewing is one of the most common sedentary behaviours for pre-schoolers, with established adverse outcomes for children's cognitive and language development, and risk of cardio-metabolic disease. This study described TV viewing trajectories from age 5 to 40 months, based on repeated measures, and explored cultural and economic...

Introduction: Evidence suggests that early life factors are important in developing and shaping physical activity (PA) behaviour. Mothers have a crucial role in their children’s PA in the early years of life. Identifying maternal factors associated with PA during the early years is a necessary first step to develop effective interventions. Using th...

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility of recruiting and objectively measuring the habitual physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) of South Asian and White British toddlers and parents participating in the Born in Bradford (BIB) cohort study. METHODS: Families of 2-3 year olds were informed about the study during routine BIB assessments. I...

Introduction: Being physically active during the early years (0-6 years) is vital for the healthy development of children. Identifying factors associated with physical activity during the early years is crucial to guide effective interventions. The purpose of the systematic review was to synthesise findings from studies investigating potential corr...

Introduction: Measuring physical activity and sedentary time in young children (<5 years) is complex. Objective measures (although more reliable than proxy-reports) require specialised expertise, are expensive, and can be burdensome for participants; such issues are amplified when measuring large samples. Therefore, a physical activity and sedentar...

Background The preschool years are considered critical for establishing healthy lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity. Levels of physical activity track through childhood into adulthood and establishing habitual physical activity early in life is therefore vital. Time spent outdoors is associated with greater physical activity and playgrou...

Objective: To describe differences in the prevalence of modifiable risk factors for childhood obesity between children of White British and Pakistani origin and investigate the association between these risk factors and childhood BMI measured at age 3 years. Subjects: We used data from a sub-study of the Born in Bradford birth cohort with detailed...

We explored primary school teacher-reported experiences, prevalence and management of child health and developmental problems and medication administration from one multi-ethnic urban community in England. A survey was delivered to 90 reception class teachers in 45 primary schools, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive samp...

In many countries, routine data relating to growth of infants are collected as a means of tracking health and illness up to school age. These have potential to be used in research. For health monitoring and research, data should be accurate and reliable. This study aimed to determine the agreement between length/height and weight measurements from...

To what degree does being male or female influence the development of manual skills in pre-pubescent children? This question is important because of the emphasis placed on developing important new manual skills during this period of a child's education (e.g. writing, drawing, using computers). We investigated age and sex-differences in the ability...

Background: frailty is a state of vulnerability to stressor events. There is uncertainty about the beneficial effects of exercise interventions for older people with frailty. The Home-based Older People's Exercise (HOPE) programme is a 12-week-exercise intervention for older people with frailty designed to improve mobility and function. Methods:...

Introduction South Asian (SA) school-aged children are reported to be less active than White Europeans, which may contribute to poor current and/or future health. However, research in pre-schoolers is scarce. This study examined ethnic differences in objectively assessed physical activity (PA) and sedentary time of pre-schoolers from a multi-ethnic...