Ashley Cooper

Ashley Cooper is Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health. He was head of the Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences between 1/1/05-31/12/07 and 1/1/12-31/12/15, and lead for the “Sedentary Behaviour and Type 2 diabetes” theme in the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle between 1/1/12-31/3/17. He is now semi-retired.

Studies investigated how the physical environment may influence children’s activity behaviour, including PEACH (Personal and Environmental Associations with Children’s Health), and he was one of the lead researchers in establishing the International Children’s Accelerometer Database (ICAD). He has also been involved in a number of physical activity intervention trials including Early-ACTID, a major randomised clinical trial of physical activity and dietary modification in the management of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in adults. This work has contributed to the establishment of Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle at Bristol, where he leads the “Sedentary Behaviour and Type 2 Diabetes” research theme. His recent work investigates the environmental influences on physical activity using accelerometers and GPS receivers, and he has a long-term interest in the contribution that active travel can make to children and adults physical activity and fitness.