Research Themes
Research in the School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences at Loughborough University is dedicated to advancing knowledge in the following areas:
Sport Performance
Understanding and optimising sport performance at all levels.
- How can sport performance be optimised?
- What are the specific training needs of different groups of performers from the young to the elderly and the recreational to the elite?
- In what ways can research on sport performance inform wider knowledge about health and quality of life?
- How can performance sport be understood within its historical, social and cultural contexts?
The School has an international and long-standing reputation for research into enhancing sport performance. This research theme includes understanding sport within the broader context of underlying mechanisms, behaviours and social interactions that impact on performance. Research expertise covers ‘young’, ‘older’, ‘elite’ and ‘recreational’ populations.
Key research areas include: the effect of nutrition and training on performance and recovery from sport; the impact of high training volumes on the immune system; the biomechanics and motor control of elite sporting performance; talent identification and development; sport performance policies and their impact on the individual and society; interactions between sport, exercise and eating disorders; the impact of sport and exercise on bone health, cognition, muscle function in sport and its impact on quality of life; and the interactions between sleep quality/quantity and sport performance. In addition, the School has a critical mass of expert researchers in historical, social and cultural aspects of sport performance and in the management, economics and policy analysis of sport participation.
Health, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Chronic Disease
Understanding lifestyles, reducing risk factors and combating chronic disease.
- How can diet and physical activity be used to combat a range of chronic diseases?
- What are the health implications of changing lifestyles in developed and developing countries?
- How can research on sleep, eating and exercise optimise the physical and mental health and well-being of different populations?
- What are effective behaviour change strategies in relation to physical and mental health?
Non-communicable diseases of lifestyle (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are amongst the leading causes of death in developed countries and, as a result of the epidemiological transition, they have an increasing importance in developing countries. It is recognized that major contributing factors to the epidemiological transition are behavioural and nutritional transition characterised by decreasing levels of physical activity and the adoption of "western" high fat, low fibre diets. Within the School, research is being undertaken on various aspects of NCDs from identifying their aetiology during infancy and childhood, and consequences in adulthood and old age, to the effect of physical activity and nutritional interventions in preventing the development of risk factors.
Key research areas include: nutrition, appetite control and eating behaviour in relation to obesity, activity-nutrition interactions and eating disorders; risk factors for dementia and optimising cognition across the life-span, aspects of human sleep in relation to sleep function, sleep deprivation and sleep disorders; and optimisation of exercise strategies for health in all age groups. With an emphasis on applied research impacting personal, public and occupational health, much of this work is conducted in collaboration with clinical partners and government agencies, and involves the development of programmes and interventions. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of these interventions is to encourage people to adopt them as part of their lifestyle, and as such a major part of our work is concerned with studying behavioural change from childhood through adulthood to later life.
Sport and Education in Socio-Cultural Context
A critical understanding of the role of sport and education in society
- What is the role of sport as a global phenomenon?
- How do sport and education interact in societies?
- How does social inclusion/exclusion impact on the body and identity?
- What is the significance of sport and the institutions through which it is organised for the generation of social capital?
Sport and education must be understood within wider political-economic and socio-cultural structures and processes. Researchers in the School draw upon a range of social science disciplines to gain an understanding of how these structures and processes operate in local, national and global contexts. The aim of research in this theme is to contribute to a critical awareness of the meaning and experience of sport and education in people’s daily lives.
Key research areas include: the production and consumption of sport and education; social inclusion /exclusion; multiculturalism; inter-cultural dialogue; the role that social capital plays in understanding sport subcultures; body and identity; education and schooling; health inequalities; transnational mega events; the Olympic and Paralympic Games; cross-cultural analyses; sport policy, governance, management and funding; national identity, migration and media.
Evidence-Based Policy and Professional Practice
Informing policy and supporting professional practitioners in sport, exercise and health.
- What are key stakeholder interests in sport, exercise and health?
- How can public policy in sport, exercise and health be informed by research?
- What are effective links between research and professional practice?
- How can professional development be designed to inform career-long professional learning?
The School is committed to serving a range of stakeholder interests in its core research areas. Researchers provide evidence that informs public policy in physical activity/sport participation across the lifespan, physical education, school and youth sport, sport governance, occupational and school health, teacher and coach education, sport science and sport medicine. Researchers also translate their research into evidence that can inform professional practice. One of the defining characteristics of a profession is the commitment to providing effective career-long professional development for its practitioners. Researchers focus on professional development both for established professions and groups that aspire to professional status
Key research areas include: the design and conduct of professional development for sport/leisure managers, physical education teachers, coaches and health professionals in the fields of eating disorders, sleep, occupational and school health. Research undertaken in this theme is grounded in the social sciences including social policy, management, education, sociology and psychology.
