Dr Claire Fitzsimons
Lecturer in Physical Activity for Health
- Moray House School of Education and Sport, ISPEHS
- University of Edinburgh
Contact details
- Tel: +44 (0)131 651 6049
- Email: claire.fitzsimons@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Moray House School of Education and Sport, SL 2.31
- City
- Post code
- EH8 8AQ
Availability
I work part time Tuesday-Thursday
Background
I have a degree in Physiology (2001) and a PhD in Exercise Physiology in Older Adults (2006) from the University of Edinburgh. Upon completion of my PhD I was appointed as the Project Co-ordinator of SPARColl (Scottish Physical Activity Research Collaboration) at the University of Strathclyde (2006-2009) and following this as a Lecturer in Human Movement Sciences (2009-2011).
In 2012 I was appointed as a Chancellor's Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh (2012-2018). My research fellowship was focused on sedentary behaviour in older adults. Time spent sedentary has been linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. My fellowship explored how older people perceive sedentary behaviours, the health risks and testing out possible interventions.
I am currently a Lecturer in Physical Activity for Health in the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC) at the University of Edinburgh. I am currently working on a number of research projects to encourage breaking up sedentary behaviour in hybrid/working at home desk-based workers and in people who have had a stroke. I am also developing new research areas around physical activity during the menopause life stage and the measurement of muscle strength and balance in adults/older adults.
Undergraduate teaching
I teach on the Exercise Prescription for Rehabilitation on the Applied Sports Science programme
Postgraduate teaching
I teach on the MSc Physical Activity for Health.
Physical Activity for Health (MSc/PgDip/PgCert)
Areas of interest for supervision
I supervise student projects with a particular focus on sedentary behaviour, muscle strength and balance, or physical activity during the menopause life stage
Current PhD students supervised
Christina Gorbacheva: SGSSS Studentship, Moving More for Mental Well-being in menopause: development of workplace intervention strategies, Year 1
Jian Lei: Temporary urban environmental modifications and physical activity, Year 1
Past PhD students supervised
Divya Sivaramakrishnan: Evaluating the health benefits of incorporating yoga into the physical activity plan of older adults, graduated July 2019
Tessa Strain: Adherence to the current physical activity guidelines in Scotland, graduated July 18
Research summary
My research is focused around:
- supporting adults to reduce and break up their sedentary time. I am currently working on a number of research projects which align with this research topic with desk based workers who are working at home/hybrid working, and with people who have had a stroke.
- physical activity during the menopause life stage
- measurement of and development of interventions to support meeting the muscle and balance components of the physical activity guidelines.
Current research interests
I am currently working on a number of research projects which around the above research interests: 1. Are we working (too) comfortably? A smartphone application (app) to reduce occupational sedentary behaviour while working at home. University Awarded project funding, 01.09.23-31.08.24, Co-investigator 2. SGSSS Open Collaborative Studentship in partnership with SAMH, Co-supervisor with Professor Ailsa Niven: Moving more for mental wellbeing in menopause: development of workplace intervention strategies 3. Development and evaluation of strategies to reduce sedentary behaviour in patients after stroke and improve outcomes. Funder: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grant for Applied Research. £3 Million. October 2017 – September 2024. Co-investigator, co-work package lead. Lead Institution: University of Leeds.Past research interests
Menopause, physical activity and mental well-being. 01.06.22-31.01.23, Consultancy project with SAMH, Co-investigator iTPA Award - Are you working too comfortably? Prototyping a digital intervention reduce occupational sedentary behaviour while working at home. 01.03.22-31.08.22, Co-investigator Are we sitting (too) comfortably?: Developing health-enhancing intervention strategies to reduce time spent sitting whilst working at home, £178K, 01.08.21-31.07.22, MRC Phind Award, Co-I Improving sedentary behaviour and physical activity in community-dwelling older adults: development feasibility testing of a novel technology-supported intervention. Sit Less and Move More: funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government (£299k, Nov17-Feb20), Co-investigator Too much sitting in extended bouts in stroke survivors: A qualitative study to inform novel interventions. Funder: Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government. £225k. July 2015 – January 2019 (study paused Dec17-Aug18 ). Principal Investigator Seniors USP: Seniors - Understanding Sedentary Patterns. Funder: MRC Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Initiative. £992k. January 2014 – October 2017. Co-investigator, co-work package lead, member of the Dissemination Advisory Group. Lead Institution: Glasgow Caledonian University.Knowledge exchange
1. Intervening on sedentary behaviour in older adults: from results to practice. Funder: University of Glasgow Impact Acceleration Account. £20k. October 2016 – June 2017. Co-investigator. Lead Institution: University of Glasgow.
Affiliated research centres
Current project grants
1. Are we working (too) comfortably? A smartphone application (app) to reduce occupational sedentary behaviour while working at home. University Awarded project funding, 01.09.23-31.08.24, Co-investigator
2. SGSSS Open Collaborative Studentship in partnership with SAMH, Co-supervisor with Professor Ailsa Niven: Moving more for mental wellbeing in menopause: development of workplace intervention strategies
3. Development and evaluation of strategies to reduce sedentary behaviour in patients after stroke and improve outcomes. Funder: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grant for Applied Research. £3 Million. October 2017 – September 2024. Co-investigator, co-work package lead. Lead Institution: University of Leeds.
Past project grants
Menopause, physical activity and mental well-being. 01.06.22-31.01.23, Consultancy project with SAMH, Co-investigator
iTPA Award - Are you working too comfortably? Prototyping a digital intervention reduce occupational sedentary behaviour while working at home. 01.03.22-31.08.22, Co-investigator
Are we sitting (too) comfortably?: Developing health-enhancing intervention strategies to reduce time spent sitting whilst working at home, £178K, 01.08.21-31.07.22, MRC Phind Award, Co-I
Improving sedentary behaviour and physical activity in community-dwelling older adults: development feasibility testing of a novel technology-supported intervention. Sit Less and Move More: funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government (£299k, Nov17-Feb20), Co-investigator
Too much sitting in extended bouts in stroke survivors: A qualitative study to inform novel interventions. Funder: Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government. £225k. July 2015 – January 2019 (study paused Dec17-Aug18 ). Principal Investigator
Seniors USP: Seniors - Understanding Sedentary Patterns. Funder: MRC Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Initiative. £992k. January 2014 – October 2017. Co-investigator, co-work package lead, member of the Dissemination Advisory Group. Lead Institution: Glasgow Caledonian University.
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Online toolkit - Move your way during the working at home day
Research output: › Digital or Visual Products (Published) -
End of project full report - Are we working (too) comfortably?: Collaborating with The Scottish Government to support their workforce to reduce desk-time whilst working at home
Research output: › Other report (Published) -
Short end of project report: Are we working (too) comfortably?: Collaborating with The Scottish Government to support their workforce to reduce desk-time whilst working at home
Research output: › Other report (Published) -
Leaflet detailing the Move Your Way During Working at Home Day toolkit
Research output: › Digital or Visual Products (Published) -
"Are we working (too) comfortably?”: Understanding the nature of and factors associated with sedentary behaviour when working in the home environment
(1 page)
In:
Occupational Health Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-022-00128-6
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Are we working (too) comfortably? Developing an evidence-based toolkit to support desk-based employees to reduce sedentary behaviour while working at home
Research output: Contribution to Conference › Other (Published) -
Are we working (too) comfortably?: An evidence-based Toolkit to support desk-based employees to reduce sedentary behaviour while working at home
Research output: Contribution to Conference › Poster (Published) -
Exploring the perspectives of people with stroke, caregivers and healthcare professionals on the design and delivery of a mHealth adaptive physical activity intervention: A qualitative study protocol
In:
HRB Open Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.13506.1
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Can activity monitors accurately determine sedentary periods and sleep times in less active populations? Comparison of approaches in the RECREATE feasibility study in stroke survivors
Research output: Contribution to Conference › Abstract (E-pub ahead of print) -
What works to reduce sedentary behavior in the office, and could these intervention components transfer to the home working environment?: A rapid review and transferability appraisal
In:
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, vol. 4, pp. 954639
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.954639
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Systematic review of process evaluations of interventions in trials investigating sedentary behaviour in adults
In:
BMJ Open, vol. 12
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053945
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Prototyping a digital intervention to reduce sitting in University of Edinburgh staff while working at home
Research output: Contribution to Conference › Poster (Published) -
Interventions for reducing sedentary behavior in people with stroke
(2 pages)
In:
Stroke, vol. 52, pp. e846-e847
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.036589
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Comment/debate (Published) -
Sitting as a moral practice: Older adults’ accounts from qualitative interviews on sedentary behaviours
(19 pages)
In:
Sociology of Health & Illness, vol. 43, pp. 2102-2120
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13383
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
A qualitative study of sedentary behaviours in stroke survivors: non-participant observations and interviews with stroke service staff in stroke units and community services
In:
Disability and rehabilitation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2021.1955307
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Interventions for reducing sedentary behaviour in people with stroke
(110 pages)
In:
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, vol. 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012996.pub2
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
A systematic review and meta-analysis of non-workplace interventions to reduce time spend in sedentary in adults
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.27.21256673
Research output: › Preprint (Published) -
A co-production approach guided by the behaviour change wheel to develop an intervention for reducing sedentary behaviour after stroke
(13 pages)
In:
Pilot and Feasibility Studies, vol. 6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-020-00667-1
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Stroke survivors' perceptions of their sedentary behaviours three months after stroke
(14 pages)
In:
Disability and rehabilitation, vol. N/A, pp. 1-13
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2020.1768304
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Factors influencing sedentary behaviours after stroke: Findings from qualitative observations and interviews with stroke survivors and their caregivers
In:
BMC Public Health, vol. 20, pp. 1-15
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09113-6
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)