Ph.D. Student

Physical Activity Epidemiology

Left the Unit in 2015

Work and interests

Paul was a PhD Student in the Physical Activity Epidemiology programme. He focused on the descriptive and analytical epidemiology of objectively-measured physical activity volume and intensity, sedentary time, sleep and fatness in youth. Two studies on which he was involved are the Southampton Women’s Survey and the ROOTS Project, which are population based cohorts of young children and adolescents, respectively. Paul left the Unit in March 2015 after successfully completing his Ph.D.

Background and experience

Paul has a BSc in Sports Science from the University of Portsmouth and an MSc in Sport and Health Sciences from the University of Exeter. He graduated top at both institutions. He also has an MPhil in Epidemiology from the University of Cambridge and now teaches on the MPhil course. He has reviewed articles for various journals including PLoS ONE and MSSE, and is the beneficiary of a Charter Graduate Scholarship from Homerton College.

Publications

• MRC Epidemiology Unit publications on the Publications Database

Selected publications

1. Collings PJ, Wijndaele K, Corder K, Westgate K, Ridgway CL, Dunn V, et al. Levels and patterns of objectively-measured physical activity volume and intensity distribution in UK adolescents: the ROOTS study. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2014; 11(23): doi:10.1186/1479-5868-11-23
2. Collings PJ, Brage S, Ridgway CL, Harvey NC, Godfrey KM, Inskip HM, et al. Physical activity intensity, sedentary time, and body composition in preschoolers. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2013;97(5):1020-8. doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.045088.
3. Ekelund U, Hildebrand M, Collings PJ. Physical Activity, Sedentary Time and Adiposity during the First Two Decades of Life. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2014.; 1-11: doi:10.1017/S0029665114000019
4. Hesketh KR, McMinn AM, Ekelund U, Sharp SJ, Collings PJ et al. Objectively measured physical activity in four-year-old British children: A cross-sectional analysis of activity patterns segmented across the day. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2014;11(1): doi:10.1186/1479-5868-11-1

Oral Presentations

1. Collings PJ, Wijndaele K, Corder K, Westgate K, Ridgway CL, Sharp SJ, et al. Sedentary time and sleep duration as risk factors for obesity in Cambridge adolescents. Cambridge, Amsterdam & Ghent Exchange Meeting. Ghent, Belgium, 28/03/2014.
2. Collings PJ, Wijndaele K, Corder K, Westgate K, Ridgway CL, Sharp SJ, et al. Prospective associations between physical activity and sedentary time with adiposity in adolescence. XXVIII Pediatric Work Physiology Meeting. Anadia, Portugal, 04/10/2013.
3. Collings PJ, Brage S, Ridgway CL, Harvey NC, Godfrey KM, Inskip HM, et al. Physical activity intensity, sedentary time and body composition in preschoolers. 7th European Youth Heart Study Scientific Symposium. Madeira, Portugal, 23/10/2012.

Awards

• 1st Prize – Graduate School of Life Sciences Research Poster Competition, Cambridge Science Festival 2011