Physical Activity for Precision Health Cluster

Physical activity lengthens our healthspan and lifespan

We have always relied on our bodies’ capacity to move and the strength of our muscles for feeding, building, and exploring. Modern civilization and the stresses we face have led to sedentary lifestyles that our health agencies are battling to reverse. Our messaging has remained prescriptive, with a “one size fits all” approach – an approach that is not succeeding in shifting our low rates of physical activity in Canada and globally. It is the mission of the Physical Activity for Precision Health Cluster, in collaboration with community members, to develop, test, implement, and monitor physical activity programs that are tailored to the varied needs of children and adults of varying demographics, capacities, and health statuses. The expertise at UBC remains at the forefront of groundbreaking research in physical activity for precision health, a true cells-to-society approach in physical activity research. From research discovering the discriminant mental and biological effects of different modes and intensities of physical activity, to investigating messaging and motivation techniques tailored for different populations, to enhancing how researchers can better engage community members in the implementation of our interventions, we at UBC are leaders in the field of physical activity for precision health.

Our research spans three unique themes, Precision Prescription, Precision Behaviour Change, and Precision Monitoring, each one woven into the following research areas:

Access, Diversity, and Disability

Biological Sciences

Intervention Research and Technology

Physical Environment

Biological Sciences

Sociocultural Perspectives