Overview
Background
Professor John Cairney is the Head of School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences. He is an academic leader in the field of paediatric exercise medicine and child health research and is particularly well-known for his work on developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and its impact on the health and well-being of children. Prof John Cairney started at UQ in January 2020.
Until the end of 2019, he was the Director of Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto and Director of the Infant and Child Health (INCH) Research Laboratory at both the University of Toronto and McMaster University. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Public Health Sciences and Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University and a core scientist with the Offord Centre for Child Studies, CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research at McMaster University, and the independent Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.
Professor Cairney completed his PhD studies at the University of Western Ontario and has held academic appointments at Brock University, the University of Toronto and McMaster University before his current UQ role. He has held, among other research leadership positions, a Canada Research Chair in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and a Professorship in Child Health, and subsequently a Research Chair, in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University.
Professor Cairney has been the recipient of ~$A17 million in research grants as a principal investigator and has some 310 published works with a Scopus h index of 51 (Aug 2022).
Professor Cairney is a former President of the North American Society of Pediatric Exercise Medicine.
Availability
- Professor John Cairney is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Research interests
-
Physical activity and health
Professor Cairney's broad interest is in the association between physical activity and health (physical and mental), with a specific interest in the role that physical activity plays in the health and quality of life of children with chronic disease.
Research impacts
From 2012-2015, Professor John Cairney co-led the evaluation of the multi-ministerial Children’s Mental Health Strategy in Canada, and since 2013 he has been the Scientific Lead of the screening arm of the Special Needs Strategy for Children in Ontario. These roles have allowed him to influence policy development in Ontario.
Works
Search Professor John Cairney’s works on UQ eSpace
1999
Journal Article
12-Month prevalence of depression among single and married mothers in the 1994 National Population Health Survey
Cairney, John, Thorpe, Cathy, Rietschlin, John and Avison, William R. (1999). 12-Month prevalence of depression among single and married mothers in the 1994 National Population Health Survey. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 90 (5), 320-324.
1999
Journal Article
Time since immigration and excess body weight
Cairney, John and Østbye, Truls (1999). Time since immigration and excess body weight. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 90 (2), 120-124.
1998
Journal Article
Reducing economic disparity to achieve better health: Modelling the effect of adjustments to income adequacy on self-reported morbidity among the elderly in Canada
Cairney, John and Wade, Terrance J. (1998). Reducing economic disparity to achieve better health: Modelling the effect of adjustments to income adequacy on self-reported morbidity among the elderly in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 89 (6), 424-428.
1998
Journal Article
Socioeconomic position, lifestyle and health among Canadians aged 18 to 64: A multi-condition approach
Cairney, John and Arnold, Robert (1998). Socioeconomic position, lifestyle and health among Canadians aged 18 to 64: A multi-condition approach. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 89 (3), 208-212.
1998
Journal Article
Gender differences in the prevalence of depression among Canadian adolescents
Cairney, John (1998). Gender differences in the prevalence of depression among Canadian adolescents. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 89 (3), 181-182.
1998
Journal Article
Correlates of body weight in the 1994 National Population Health Survey
Cairney, J. and Wade, T. J. (1998). Correlates of body weight in the 1994 National Population Health Survey. International Journal of Obesity, 22 (6), 584-591. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800632
1997
Journal Article
Age and depression in a nationally representative sample of Canadians: A preliminary look at the National Population Health Survey
Wade, Terrance J. and Cairney, John (1997). Age and depression in a nationally representative sample of Canadians: A preliminary look at the National Population Health Survey. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 88 (5), 297-302.
1996
Journal Article
Social class, health and aging: Socioeconomic determinants of self-reported morbidity among the noninstitutionalized elderly in Canada
Cairney, John and Arnold, Robert (1996). Social class, health and aging: Socioeconomic determinants of self-reported morbidity among the noninstitutionalized elderly in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 87 (3), 199-203.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor John Cairney is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Development and Evaluation of a Self-Report Instrument to Measure Early Childhood Educators¿ Physical Literacy Capabilities, Knowledge, and Practices
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Michalis Stylianou
-
Doctor Philosophy
Movement Interventions to improve mental well-being in individuals who have experiences trauma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kai Wheeler
-
Doctor Philosophy
Interventions to increase physical activity in children and youth with Autism
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stewart Trost, Dr Michalis Stylianou, Dr Jessica Hill
-
Doctor Philosophy
Examining the Efficacy of Attentional Focus Instruction on Typically and Atypically Developing Young Learners Performing a Postural Control Task
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sean Tweedy, Dr Gregore Iven Mielke
-
Doctor Philosophy
The motor development of preschool children in the digital age
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Co-designing trauma informed practices for Exercise Physiologists working with children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kai Wheeler
-
Doctor Philosophy
Leisure Activities and Mental Health of Australian Adolescents
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr George Thomas, Associate Professor Asaduzzaman Khan
-
Doctor Philosophy
Health literacy of rheumatic heart disease within non-family based care
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kai Wheeler
-
Doctor Philosophy
Developing a Motor Assessment Tool that is Feasible for Autistic Children with High Support Needs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sean Tweedy, Associate Professor Emma Beckman
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Cultural Determinants of Physical Literacy in Diverse Communities
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kai Wheeler
-
Doctor Philosophy
Innovating physical literacy in childhood through the co-design of the MobMoves program
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Murray Phillips, Dr Kai Wheeler
Media
Enquiries
For media enquiries about Professor John Cairney's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team: