Faculty of Education
Lifetime Health and Physical Activity
The Lifetime Health and Physical Activity research group experiments in a variety of movement contexts across the lifespan with the overall aim to help all individuals achieve a healthy lifestyle.
As professionals it is our job to educate the public about the many ways humans can engage in health-improving, lifelong physical activity.
Projects
Exertime: Increasing movement opportunities in the workplace
The Exertime project was designed by UTAS researchers to reintroduce movement back into the workday by regularly interrupting the time spent sitting to perform work responsibilities.
Exertime is a workplace e-health programme that provides hourly prompts with suggestions for low-impact, short-duration movements that are suitable for the office climate.
To learn more about how UTAS researchers use Exertime to investigate sedentary behaviour in the workplace visit the Active Work Laboratory web page (Lab Projects > Exertime), visit the Exertime website, or contact the project team:
Hot Desks: Measuring the physiological and cognitive benefits of movement-biased desks
In an effort to encourage a healthy work environment many businesses are offering their employees standing desks, treadmill desks, or even bike desks. These "hot desks", as they have become known, have been suggested to improve employee health, but their effect on work productivity is still a mystery.
The Hot Desk project aims to investigate the effect of working while in a movement-biased posture as opposed to a sedentary, seated position on physiological and cognitive functions associated with workplace efficiency and productivity.
To learn more about this project being conducted in the Active Work Laboratory visit the webpage, or contact the project team:
Exergames: Evaluating the efficacy of technology-based physical activity

In an attempt to combat sedentary behaviour in children video game manufacturers have designed "exergames" to provide users a similar experience to the real sport skill. Gaming consoles like the Nintendo Wii provide children with a motivating and fun gaming experience that resembles sport participation within the comforts of their home.
Despite the documented evidence that these exergames require increased energy expenditure compared to typical sedentary video games, UTAS researchers have taken an interest to study if there is positive transfer from this virtual environment to real life motor and cognitive skill development.
If you are interested in this line of research inquiry visit the Active Work Laboratory webpage, or contact the project team:
Members
Dr Scott Pedersen (Coordinator)
Motor Behaviour
Dr Vaughan Cruickshank
Physical Education Pedagogy
Dr Casey Mainsbridge
Human Movement
Miss Kira Patterson
Health Pedagogy
Dr Heidi Smith
Outdoor Leadership