Dr Sally A. M. Fenton PhD

Dr Sally A. M. Fenton

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
Lecturer in Lifestyle Behaviour Change

Contact details

Address
School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Sally is a physical activity and exercise psychology researcher, with expertise in the objective measurement of physical activity and sedentary behavior.

ResearchGate profile

Qualifications

  • 2008 - BSc, Sport and Exercise Sciences (University of Birmingham, UK)
  • 2014 - PhD, Sport and Exercise Psychology (University of Birmingham, UK)

Biography

Dr. Fenton obtained both her BSc (2008) and PhD (2014) from the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Birmingham. After completing her PhD, she was appointed to the role of Post-doctoral Research Fellow, and worked jointly across the University of Birmingham and the Dudley NHS Foundation Trust on projects related to physical activity and sedentary behavior change in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Since October 2017, Dr. Fenton has worked as a Lecturer in the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Teaching

Dr. Fenton currently contributes to several modules within the BSc and MSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences.

Postgraduate supervision

Ciara O’Brien (September 2015 – present) – Sedentary behaviour change in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Sophia Brady (September 2018 – present) – Sedentary behaviour and exercise interventions in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Marilyn Poole (June 2019 – present) – Developing an intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in non-ambulant young people with long-term disabilities.

Research

Research interests:

  • Measurement of physical activity and sedentary behavior in patient populations
  • The determinants and health consequences of physical activity and sedentary behavior in ‘at risk’ populations
  • Development and evaluation of theoretically-informed lifestyle interventions to encourage behavior change

Dr. Sally Fenton’s research aims to validate objective measures of physical activity and sedentary behavior (accelerometers and activPALs), subsequently applying them to explore the health consequences and determinants of these behaviours in different populations. To date, she has conducted a series of studies aligned with this theme, among children, older adults, and patient groups – with a recent focus on people living with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Findings from this research are applied to inform the development, implementation and evaluation of theoretically-informed interventions to encourage physical activity and sedentary behavior change. Currently, Dr. Fenton is involved in several projects that aim to deliver motivation-theory grounded interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior among patient populations, including patients awaiting liver transplant, and individuals living with Arthritis.

Other activities

Recently, Dr. Sally Fenton has worked as part of a team within the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, to provide input and validate policy recommendations for the European Commission on Nutrition and Physical Activity. Specific recommendations relate to physical activity guidelines for youth, adults and special/clinical populations, as well as physical activity for school performance/achievement. She is also a member of the “Sedentary Behaviour Expert Working Group”, contributing to the revision of the UK Chief Medical  Officers update of the 2012 Physical Activity Guidelines.

Dr. Fenton is a member of the European College of Sports Sciences Conference Abstract Review Panel and the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Sports Sciences. She acts as a regular reviewer for various international peer-reviewed journals in the areas of Sport and Exercise Science, Rheumatology and Health Psychology.

Publications

  1. O'Brien CM, Duda JL, Kitas GD, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Metsios GS, Fenton SAM. Objective measurement of sedentary time and physical activity in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis: protocol for an accelerometer and activPALTM validation study. Mediterrean Journal of Rheumatology, 2019; Epub ahead of print.
  2. O'Brien CM, Duda JL, Kitas GD, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Metsios GS, Fenton SAM. Correlates of sedentary behaviour and light physical activity in people living with rheumatoid arthritis: protocol for a longitudinal study. Mediterrean Journal of Rheumatology, 2018; 29(2):106-17.
  3. Fenton SAM, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Sandoo AS, Duda JL, Metsios GS, Kitas GD. Sedentary behaviour is adversely associated with microvascular endothelial function in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Microvascular Research, 2018; 117:57-60.
  4. Fenton SAM, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Metsios GS, Rouse PC, Yu C, Kitas GD, Duda JL. Autonomy support, light physical activity and psychological wellbeing in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A cross-sectional study. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 2018; 14:11-18
  5. Fenton SAM, Veldhuijzen Van Zanten JJCS, Duda JL, Kitas GD. Sedentary Behaviour in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Definition, measurement and implications for health. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2017. Epub ahead of print.
  6. Fenton SAM, Veldhuijzen Van Zanten JJCS, Duda JL, Rouse PC, Yu C, Kitas GD, Metsios GS.Objectively assessed sedentary behaviour is associated with long-term cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis independently of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2017;18:131.
  7. Fenton SAM, &Kitas GD. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Sedentary Behaviour in RA – a new research agenda. Nature Reviews Rheumatology 2016:12(12);698-670.
  8. Fenton SAM, Duda JL, Barrett TG. Optimising physical activity engagement during youth sport: A self-determination theory approach. Journal of Sports Sciences 2016; 34(19):1874-1884.
  9. Fenton SAM, Duda JL, Barrett TG. Inter-participant variability in daily physical activity and sedentary time among male youth sport footballers: Independent associations with indicators of adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness. Journal of Sports Sciences 2016; 34(3):239-51.
  10. Fenton SAM, Duda JL, Quested E, Barrett TG. Coach provided autonomy support predicts autonomous    motivation and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary time in youth sport participants. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 2014;15(5):453-463. 

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