Professor Niri Naidoo

My research is in childhood obesity, physical fitness, and physical activity, which started off started off with an interest in children and the risk factors they carry for non-communicable diseases. My PhD compared the prevalence of childhood obesity within intellectually disabled and typically developing children to determine the risk factors for non-communicable diseases. I discovered that the prevalence of childhood obesity in both groups reflected obesity and malnutrition, increasing the risk factors for non-communicable diseases, with ramifications across the lifespan. We recognized the need for screening in mainstream schools and collaboration with teachers to connect them to the relevant resources.

I am passionate about childhood obesity research because this is something that is largely preventable, and I think physiotherapy has an important role to play in this regard. I also have an interest in higher education practice and the need to adapt teaching methods to better respond to the needs of our students and build their confidence. In the last few years this interest has extended to include all age groups across the lifespan. I supervise students who are interested in exploring physical activity across the lifespan, from children to adolescents, extending into the elderly population. This is mainly related to non-communicable diseases, to see what risk factors people carry.

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3186-7486