Staff Profile
Dr Laura Basterfield
Senior Research Associate
- Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5276
- Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
Faculty of Medical Sciences
Newcastle University
M1.151, William Leech Building
Framlington Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4HH
Background
I graduated from Newcastle University in 1999 with a BSc (Hons) in Physiological Sciences. After spending 5 months in Australia I returned to the UK and began working as a Respiratory Physiologist at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne. In 2002 I started my PhD back at Newcastle University investigating the effects of exercise on a mouse model of intestinal cancer. My interest in exercise and physical activity for health led to my first post-doctoral research post on the Gateshead Millennium Study (http://research.ncl.ac.uk/gms).
I am currently a Senior Research Associate, investigating physical activity in childhood and adolescence, and the associations between physical fitness and mental wellbeing.
Area of expertise
- Physical activity
- Fitness
- Body measurements in children
Qualifications
- PhD Newcastle University
- BSc (Hons) Physiological Sciences, Newcastle University
Potential PhD supervision
If you are a funded student interested in completing a PhD in the areas of children's physical activity, physical fitness, or sport participation, please get in touch.
Google Scholar: Click here.
ResearchGate: Click here
Twitter: @LauraB_PhD
Research Interests
My main research interests lie with physical activity and physical fitness in children, but I also have a general interest in the effect of activity and exercise on health.
Current Work
My current focus is investigating the associations between physical fitness, mental wellbeing and body composition in children. I have been working in local primary schools to complete fitness testing, body measurements and questionnaires on their quality of life and sport participation. We don't know much about the fitness of contemporary children in the UK, and particularly North East children. We are finding important associations between how physically fit they are and how they feel about themselves. Sports participation in these children is showing important social as well as physical benefits.
Previous Work
From 2006 I have been involved with the Gateshead Millennium Study (http://research.ncl.ac.uk/gms), a longitudinal birth cohort of over one thousand children that started in 1999. At ages 7, 9, 12 and 15 years we have visited the children at their schools and administered questionnaires and measured their body composition, diet and physical activity. I was responsible for analysing the physical activity measurements which are recorded using accelerometers - a small, portable device which measures changes in acceleration. I also looked at the associations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and body composition in the children.
I have also provided expertise to other research projects measuring physical activity in their participants.
Other Expertise
I am a qualified gym instructor, allowing me to supervise and instruct adults in the gym, and I am also qualified to take activity classes with children.
My involvement in the Gateshead Millennium Study involved taking skinfold and bony frame measures on 6-8 year old children and I am a Level 1 ISAK anthropometrist.
I am a qualified Respiratory Physiologist.
I contribute to teaching the BSc (Hons) Food and Human Nutrition final year students, in the Sport and Exercise Nutrition module. I give lectures on Exercise and Cancer, and Exercise and Sport in Children.
I supervise undergraduate students from the BSc (Hons) Food and Human Nutrition and BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Science degree programmes.
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Articles
- Ramos-Munell J, Pearce MS, Adamson A, Janssen X, Basterfield L, Reilly JJ. Tracking of MVPA across childhood and adolescence. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 2024, 27(6), 396-401.
- Basterfield L, Galna B, Burn NL, Batten H, Weston M, Goffe L, Lawn M, Weston KL. Back to ‘normal’? BMI, physical fitness and health-related quality of life of children from North East England before, during and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. Journal of Sports Sciences 2024, epub ahead of print.
- Basterfield L, Machaira T, Jones D, Rapley T, Araujo-Soares V, Cameron N, Azevedo LB. Early years physical activity and motor skills intervention - a feasibility study to evaluate an existing training programme for early years educators. Children 2023, 10, 145.
- Basterfield L, Burn NL, Galna B, Batten H, Goffe L, Karoblyte G, Lawn M, Weston KL. Changes in children’s physical fitness, BMI and health-related quality of life after the first 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in England: a longitudinal study. Journal of Sports Sciences 2022, 40(10), 1088-1096.
- Basterfield L, Burn NL, Galna B, Karoblyte G, Weston KL. The association between physical fitness, sports club participation and body mass index on health-related quality of life in primary school children from a socioeconomically deprived area of England. Preventive Medicine Reports 2021, 24, 101557.
- Farooq A, Basterfield L, Adamson AJ, Pearce MS, Hughes AR, Janssen X, Wilson MG, Reilly J. Moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity and sedentary behaviour across childhood and adolescence, and their combined relationship with obesity risk: a multi-trajectory analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7421.
- Farooq A, Basterfield L, Adamson AJ, Pearce MS, Hughes AR, Janssen X, Wilson MG, Reilly JJ. Failure to launch: Predictors of unfavourable physical activity and sedentary behaviour trajectories from childhood to adolescence: the Gateshead Millennium Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13283.
- Steene-Johannessen J, Hansen BH, Dalene KE, Kolle E, Northstone K, Møller NC, Grøntved A, Wedderkopp N, Kriemler S, Page AS, Puder JJ, Reilly JJ, Sardinha LB, van Sluijs EMF, Andersen LB, van der Ploeg H, Ahrens W, Flexeder C, Standl M, Shculz H, Moreno LA, De Henauw S, Michels N, Cardon G, Ortega FB, Ruiz J, Aznar S, Fogelholm M, Decelis A, Olesen LG, Hjorth MH, Santos S, Vale S, Christiansen LB, Jago R, Basterfield L, Owen CG, Nightingale CM, Eiben G, Polito A, Lauria F, Vanhelst J, Hadjigeorgiou C, Konstabel K, Molnár D, Sprengeler O, Manios Y, Harro J, Kafatos A, Anderssen SA, Ekelund U. Variations in accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time across Europe – harmonized analyses of 47,497 children and adolescents. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2020, 17, 38.
- Steene-Johannessen J, Hansen BH, Dalene KE, Kolle E, Northstone K, Moller NC, Grontved A, Wedderkopp N, Kriemler S, Page AS, Puder JJ, Reilly JJ, Sardinha LB, van Sluijs EMF, Andersen LB, van der Ploeg H, Ahrens W, Flexeder C, Standl M, Shculz H, Moreno LA, De Henauw S, Michels N, Cardon G, Ortega FB, Ruiz J, Aznar S, Fogelholm M, Decelis A, Olesen LG, Hjorth MF, Santos R, Vale S, Christiansen LB, Jago R, Basterfield L, Owen CG, Nightingale CM, Eiben G, Polito A, Lauria F, Vanhelst J, Hadjigeorgiou C, Konstabel K, Molnar D, Sprengeler O, Manios Y, Harro J, Kafatos A, Anderssen SA, Ekelund U, on behalf of the Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity knowledge hub (DEDIPAC), International Children's Accelerometry Database (ICAD) Collaborators, IDEFICS Consortium, HELENA Consortium. Variations in accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time across Europe - harmonized analyses of 47,497 children and adolescents. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2020, 17(1), 38.
- Hind K, Hayes L, Basterfield L, Pearce MS, Birrell F. Objectively-measured sedentary time, habitual physical activity and bone strength in adults aged 62 years: the Newcastle Thousand Families Study. Journal of Public Health 2020, 42(2), 325-332.
- Janssen X, Basterfield L, Parkinson KN, Pearce MS, Reilly JK, Adamson A, Reilly JJ. Non-linear longitudinal associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and adiposity across the adiposity distribution during childhood and adolescence: Gateshead Millennium Study. International Journal of Obesity 2019, 43, 744-750.
- Beltran-Valls MR, Janssen X, Farooq A, Adamson AJ, Pearce MS, Reilly JK, Basterfield L, Reilly J. Longitudinal changes in vigorous intensity physical activity from childhood to adolescence: Gateshead Millennium Study. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 2019, 22(4), 450-455.
- Mann KD, Basterfield L, Wright C, Parkinson K, Reilly JK, Reilly JJ, Adamson AJ, Pearce MS. Birth weight and adolescent blood pressure measured at age 12 years in the Gateshead Millennium Study. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2019, 10(6), 621-626.
- Weston KL, Pasecinic N, Basterfield L. A Preliminary Study of Physical Fitness in 8- to 10-Year-Old Primary School Children From North East England in Comparison With National and International Data. Pediatric Exercise Science 2019, 31(2), 229-237.
- Farooq MA, Parkinson KN, Adamson AJ, Pearce MS, Reilly JK, Hughes AR, Janssen X, Basterfield L, Reilly JJ. Timing of the decline in physical activity in childhood and adolescence: Gateshead Millennium Cohort Study. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2018, 52(15), 1002-1006.
- Wrieden W, Mann K, Reilly JJ, Basterfield L, Reilly J, Janssen X, Pearce M, Jones AR, Adamson AJ. Longitudinal study of fruit and vegetable intake from childhood to adolescence in a population-based birth cohort: the Gateshead Millennium Study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2018. Submitted.
- Tanaka C, Xanne J, Pearce M, Parkinson K, Basterfield L, Adamson A, Reilly JJ. Bidirectional Associations Between Adiposity, Sedentary Behavior, and Physical Activity: A Longitudinal Study in Children. Journal of Physical Activity & Health 2018, 15(12), 918-926.
- Evans E, Adamson A, Basterfield L, LeCouteur AS, Reilly JK, Reilly JJ, Parkinson K. Risk factors for eating disorder symptoms at 12 years of age: A 6-year longitudinal cohort study. Appetite 2017, 108, 12-20.
- Parkinson K, Reilly J, Basterfield L, Reilly J, Janssen X, Jones A, Cutler L, Le Couteur A, Adamson A. Mothers' perceptions of child weight status and the subsequent weight gain of their children: a population based longitudinal study. International Journal of Obesity 2017, 41, 801-806.
- Mann KD, Howe LD, Basterfield L, Parkinson KP, Pearce MS, Reilly JK, Adamson AJ, Reilly J, Janssen X. Longitudinal study of the associations between change in sedentary behavior and change in adiposity during childhood and adolescence: Gateshead Millennium Study. International Journal of Obesity 2017, 41, 1042-1047.
- Janssen X, Mann KD, Basterfield L, Parkinson KN, Pearce MS, Reilly JK, Adamson AJ, Reilly JJ. Development of sedentary behaviour across childhood and adolescence: longitudinal analysis of the Gateshead Millennium Study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2016, 13(88).
- Basterfield L, Gardner L, Reilly JK, Pearce MS, Parkinson KN, Adamson AJ, Reilly JJ, Vella SA. Can’t play, won’t play: longitudinal changes in perceived barriers to participation in sports clubs across the child-adolescent transition. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2016, 2(1), e000079.
- Janssen X, Basterfield L, Parkinson KN, Pearce MS, Reilly JK, Adamson AJ, Reilly JJ, Gateshead Millennium Study Core Team. Objective measurement of sedentary behavior: impact of non-wear time rules on changes in sedentary time. BMC Public Health 2015, 15, 504.
- Basterfield L, Reilly JK, Pearce MS, Parkinson KN, Adamson AJ, Reilly JJ, Vella SA. Longitudinal associations between sports participation, body composition and physical activity from childhood to adolescence. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 2015, 18(2), 178-182.
- Parkinson KN, Adamson AJ, Basterfield L, Reilly JK, Le Couteur A, Reilly JJ. Influence of adiposity on health- related quality of life in the Gateshead Millennium Study cohort: Longitudinal study at 12 years. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2015, 100(8), 779-783.
- Janssen A, Basterfield L, Parkinson KN, Pearce M, Reilly JK, Adamson AJ, Reilly JJ. Determinants of changes in sedentary time and breaks in sedentary time among 9 and 12 year old children. Prevention Medicine Reports 2015, 2, 880-885.
- Basterfield L, Jones AR, Parkinson KN, Reilly J, Pearce MS, Reilly JJ, Adamson AJ, Gateshead Millennium Study Core Team. Physical activity, diet and BMI in children aged 6–8 years: a cross-sectional analysis. BMJ Open 2014, 4(6), e005001.
- Mann KD, Hayes L, Basterfield L, Parker L, Pearce MS. Differing lifecourse associations with sport-, occupational- and household-based physical activity at age 49-51 years: the Newcastle Thousand Families Study. International Journal of Public Health 2013, 58(1), 79-88.
- Pearce MS, James PW, Franco-Villoria M, Parkinson KN, Jones AR, Basterfield L, Drewett RF, Wright CM, Adamson AJ. Creation of an Adiposity Index for Children Aged 6–8 Years: The Gateshead Millennium Study. BioMed Research International 2013, 2013, 431825.
- Basterfield L, Pearce MS, Adamson AJ, Frary JK, Parkinson KN, Wright CM, Reilly JJ, Gateshead Millennium Study Core Team. Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Adiposity in English Children. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2012, 42(5), 445-451.
- Basterfield L, Pearce MS, Adamson AJ, Reilly JK, Parkinson KN, Reilly JJ, Gateshead Millennium Study Core Team. Effect of choice of outcome measure on studies of the etiology of obesity in children. Annals of Epidemiology 2012, 22(12), 888-891.
- Pearce MS, Basterfield L, Mann KD, Parkinson KN, Adamson AJ, Reilly JJ, Gateshead Millennium Study. Early Predictors of Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in 8-10 Year Old Children: The Gateshead Millennium Study. PLoS One 2012, 7(6), e37975.
- Basterfield L, Adamson AJ, Pearce MS, Reilly JJ, GMS team. Stability of habitual physical activity and sedentary behaviour monitoring by accelerometry in 6-8 year olds. Journal of Physical Activity & Health 2011, 8(4), 543-547.
- Basterfield L, Adamson AJ, Frary JK, Parkinson KN, Pearce MS, Reilly JJ. Longitudinal Study of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Children. Pediatrics 2011, 127(1), e24-e30.
- Basterfield L, Mathers JC. Intestinal tumours, colonic butyrate and sleep in exercised Min mice. British Journal of Nutrition 2010, 104(3), 355-363.
- King AC, Parkinson KN, Adamson AJ, Murray L, Besson H, Reilly JJ, Basterfield L. Correlates of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour in English children. European Journal of Public Health 2010, 21(4), 424-431.
- Basterfield L, Lumley LK, Mathers JC. Wheel running in female C57BL/6J mice: impact of oestrus and dietary fat and effects on sleep and body mass. International Journal of Obesity 2009, 33(2), 212-218.
- Basterfield L, Adamson AJ, Parkinson KN, Maute U, Xin-Li P, Reilly JJ. Surveillance of physical activity in the UK is flawed: validation of the Health Survey for England Physical Activity Questionnaire. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2008, 93(12), 1054-1058.
- Thwaites DT, Basterfield L, McCleave P, Carter S, Simmons NL. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transport across human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cell monolayers. British Journal of Pharmacology 2000, 129(3), 457-464.
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Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)
- McSweeney L, Jones A, Basterfield L, Adamson A. Parent views of national child measurement programme feedback letters and engagement with the healthy weight maintenance MapMe tool. In: Society for Social Medicine and Population Health. 2023, Newcastle upon Tyne: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
- McSweeney L, Jones A, Basterfield L, Adamson A. Local authority delivery of a large-scale public health intervention: experiences, challenges, and solutions. In: Society for Social Medicine and Population Health Annual Scientific Meeting. 2023, Newcastle upon Tyne: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
- Reilly JK, Basterfield L, Slack EL, Parkinson KN, Jones AR, Pearce MS, Dale A, Le Couteur AS, Adamson AJ. Tracking of fruit and vegetable consumption from childhood to adolescence: The Gateshead Millennium Study. In: Nutrition Society Annual Summer Meeting. 2013, Newcastle, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Basterfield L, Reilly JK, Slack EL, Parkinson KN, Pearce MS, Dale A, Le Couteur AS, Adamson AJ, Reilly JJ. Diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in 11-13 year old UK adolescents: The Gateshead Millennium Study. In: Nutrition Society Annual Summer Meeting. 2013, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Pearce M, Basterfield L, Mann K, Adamson A, Parkinson K, Wright C, Reilly J, GMS team. Predictors of childhood physical activity: The Gateshead Millennium Study. In: 3rd North American Congress of Epidemiology. 2011, Montreal, Canada.
- Pearce MS, Basterfield L, Mann KD, Adamson AJ, Parkinson KN, Wright CM, Reilly JJ. Predictors of childhood physical activity: The Gateshead Millennium Study. In: American Journal of Epidemiology: 3rd North American Congress of Epidemiology. 2011, Montreal, Canada: Oxford University Press.
- Basterfield L, Reul JMHM, Mathers JC. Impact of physical activity on intestinal cancer development in mice. In: International Research Conference on Diet, Nutrition and Cancer. 2005, Washington, DC: Journal of Nutrition, American Society for Nutrition.
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Digital or Visual Media
- Basterfield L, Batten H, Burn N, Galna B, Weston K. Young Science Communicators. "Next slide please!" Newcastle children's reflections on the COVID pandemic. Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University Webinars, 2021.
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Exhibition
- Jones A, Basterfield L, Parkinson K, Pearce M, Reilly J, Adamson A, GMS team. Physical Activity and Diet: impact on BMI in 6-8 year old children. 2011. Newcastle University: IHS-IoN Research Day.