Multidisciplinary and Multi-Sector Approach
to Active Living: Insights from Otago
Dr Sandra Mandic
School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Teamwork | Curiosity | Creativity | Excellence
BEATS Investigators 2013-2016 Collaborators
Dr Sandra
Mandic
(Otago)
Dr Christina
Ergler
(Otago)
Dr Debbie
Hopkins
(Oxford)
A/Prof Antoni
Moore
(Otago)
Dr Susan
Sandretto
(Otago)
A/Prof Melody
Oliver
(Auckland)
Prof John
Spence
(Alberta)
Dr John
Williams
(Otago)
Dr Enrique
García
(Victoria)
Dr Palma
Chillón
(Granada)
Dr Kirsten
Coppell
(Otago)
Dr Anna
Rolleston
(Auckland)
Mrs Charlotte
Flaherty
(DCC)
Mr Gordon
Wilson
(DSSP)
Advisory Board
Mr Andrew
Lonie
(DCC/Otago)
Mrs Ruth
Zeinert
(GDA)
Dr Tara
Duncan
(Otago)
Prof Janet
Stephenson
(Otago)
Dr Jillian
Frater
(Canterbury)
Active Transport to School
• Convenient way to integrate
physical activity into everyday life
• Contributes to maintenance or
increase physical activity level
• May develop into
environmentally sustainable and
economical travel practices over
a lifetime
Transport to School in NZ: 1989-2014
Ministry of Transport. (2015). 25 years of New Zealand travel: New Zealand household
travel 1989–2014. Wellington: Ministry of Transport. (page 30)
1989/1990
2010-2014
Travel to school:
21% driven
26% walking
19% cycling
Travel to school:
32% driven
27% walking
3% cycling
Travel
behaviour
Preferences
Constraints
Cost
Personal factors
Environmental
factors
Family factors
Destination
characteristics
Enjoyment
Health
Environment
Discomfort
Safe routes
Factors related to
transport in generalFactors specific to
active transport
Adapted from Mandic S et al. Journal of Transport and Health. 2017; 4:294-304
Built Environment and Transport
Behaviour
www.designedtomove.org
Different urban layouts and social norms
(e.g. private vehicle ownership) compared to NZ
Kerr (2006)
McDonald (2008)
Babey (2009)
Larsen (2009)
Pabayo (2011)Cooper (2006)
Bringolf-Isler (2008)
Nelson (2008)
Chillon-Garzon (2009)
Panter (2010)
Van Dyck (2010)
Timperio (2006)
Leslie (2010)
Duncan (2008)
Utter (2011)
BEANZ
• The BEATS Study investigates:
– transport to school habits,
– the neighbourhood environment and
– physical activity habits
in Dunedin adolescents.
www.otago.ac.nz/beatsMandic S et al. BMJ Open. 2016; 6:e011196
BEATS Study: Objectives
• To understand the reasons behind adolescents and their
parents’ choice of transport mode to school using the
ecological approach;
• To examine the interaction between the transport choices,
built environment, physical activity levels, and weight status
in adolescents;
• To identify policies that promote or limit ATS in adolescents
• To provide baseline data to examine future impact of:
– The built environment changes (Dunedin Cycleway developments)
– South Dunedin Bike Library
– Cycle Skill Training in schools
BEATS Study Framework:
Ecological Model for Active Transport
Individual
Social/Cultural
Environment
Built
Environment
Policy
Environment
Sociodemographics
Behaviour
Motivations/barriers
Social support
Social norms
Walkable community
design
Pedestrian & bicycle
facilities
School policy for ATS
School’s road safety
procedures
Adapted from Sallis JF et al.
Circulation. 2012;125:729-737
Mandic S et al. BMJ Open.
2016; 6:e011196
IndividualEcological
model
framework
Social/Cultural
Environment
Built
Environment
Policy
Environment
Level Students (n=2000)
Parents (n=1000)
Peers
Neighbourhood
SchoolSchool
Outcome
measuresDemographics
Travel to school
Active transport to
school (ATS)
motivations and
barriers
Perceptions of
built environment
Health behaviours
Body mass index
Physical activity
Parental
demographics
Travel to school
for child(ren)
Parental
motivations and
barriers for ATS
Parental
perceptions of
built environment
Parental health
behaviours
Geographic
Information
System
(spatial analysis,
modelling and
visualisation)
Perceived
environment
Route to school
maps
School policy for
ATS
ATS-Related
messages
Health and
safety liabilities
School road
safety
procedures,
education and
messages
Assessment
proceduresStudent survey
Anthropometry
Accelerometers
Focus groups
Parental survey,
accelerometers
and focus groups
Student survey
(for peers)
GIS Analysis
Questionnaires
Maps
Teachers’ Focus
Groups
School
Principals’
interviews
Mandic S et al.
BMJ Open.
2016;
6:e011196
BEATS Study Research Methodology
Survey Maps; GIS Analysis Physical
Activity
Focus groups
Adolescents & Parents
Adolescents
Anthropometry
School bag weight
Adolescents, Parents, Teachers
Interviews
School
Principals
Mandic S et al. BMJ Open. 2016; 6:e011196
BEATS Study Framework:
Ecological Model for Active Transport
Adapted from
Sallis JF et al.
Circulation.
2012;125:729-
737
Individual
Social/Cultural
Environment
Built Environment
Policy Environment
Mandic S et al.
BMJ Open.
2016;
6:e011196
Exercise
ScienceHealth Built
EnvironmentEducationTransportation
May 2013
How to pull this off
and
who is going to pay for it?
Building a Multidisciplinary Research Team
Exercise
science
Behavioural
medicine
Health
promotion
Geographic
information
science
Statistics
Quantitative
research
methods
Qualitative
research
methods
Dr Sandy Mandic
Dr Tony Moore
Dr John Williams
Drs Williams/Mandic Dr Debbie Hopkins
Prof John Spence
Dr Enrique García
Bengoechea
Policy
makers
Charlotte Flaherty
Building Research Collaborations
Dr Sandy Mandic
Dr Tony Moore
Dr John Williams
Dr Debbie Hopkins
Prof John Spence
A/Prof Enrique García
Mrs Charlotte Flaherty
Establishing Links with the Community
and Forming BEATS Advisory Board
Dunedin Secondary
Schools’ Partnership
Mr Gordon Wilson
Getting Dunedin
Active Initiative
Mr Andrew Lonie
Mrs Ruth Zeinert
Dr Janet Stephenson
Dr Susan SandrettoDr Tara DuncanCollege of Education
Writing Research Grants
2013 2014
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
EOI
EOI
IndividualEcological
model
framework
Social/Cultural
Environment
Built
Environment
Policy
Environment
Level Students (n=2000)
Parents (n=1000)
Peers
Neighbourhood
SchoolSchool
Outcome
measuresDemographics
Travel to school
Active transport to
school (ATS)
motivations and
barriers
Perceptions of
built environment
Health behaviours
Body mass index
Physical activity
Parental
demographics
Travel to school
for child(ren)
Parental
motivations and
barriers for ATS
Parental
perceptions of
built environment
Parental health
behaviours
Geographic
Information
System
(spatial analysis,
modelling and
visualisation)
Perceived
environment
Route to school
maps
School policy for
ATS
ATS-Related
messages
Health and
safety liabilities
School road
safety
procedures,
education and
messages
Assessment
proceduresStudent survey
Anthropometry
Accelerometers
Focus groups
Parental survey,
accelerometers
and focus groups
Student survey
(for peers)
GIS Analysis
Questionnaires
Maps
Teachers’ Focus
Groups
School
Principals’
interview
Aug 2014
Multidisciplinary
research
Service to government
Service to community
Service to schools
Consultation
Access to schools
Support
Funding (partial)
School
recruitment
Schools
Students
Parents
Teachers
Lab space
Assistance
Funding
Facilities
Feedback
Dunedin Secondary
Schools’ Partnership
University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand)
Dunedin Secondary Schools’ Partnership
Dunedin City Council
University of Alberta (Canada)
McGill University (Canada)
Transport safety
Cycle skills training
School choice
report
Rewards
Individual school
reports
Mandic S et al. Retos, 2015:28;197-202.
Mandic S et al. BMJ Open. 2016; 6:e011196
BEATS Study School Recruitment:
100% (12 schools)
Schools’ Representation in
the BEATS Student Survey 2014/15A
9% B8%
C10%
D6%
E8%
F9%
G4%
H8%
I10%
J13%
K5%
L9%
12 out of 12 secondary schools
in Dunedin
1,663
adolescents
with valid data
Age: 15.3±1.4 yrs
(range: 13-19 yrs)
44.4% Boys
73.2% NZ European
10.4% Māori
10.2% boarders
4.1% international
Giving Back to the Community
2009
19 School-specific
reports delivered
in person
in 2010
Otago
Region
Dunedin City
Dunedin
Mandic S et al. J Sci Med Sport.
2015:18(4):432-437
Developing Study Materials
BEATS Study Website
www.otago.ac.nz/beats
Pe
rce
nta
ge (
%)
2% 9% 16%
21% 27%37%
43%
50%58% 62% 65% 71% 71% 72% 75% 76%
0% 3%
14%
32% 34%53%
75%
94%
127% 127% 127% 127% 127% 127%
178% 178%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Key Performance Indicators: Funding Spent (%) versus Students Surveyed (% of a goal)
Monitoring Budget and KPIs
BEATS Student Survey
Data collection 2014-2015
2013 2014
Grant writing
Establishing collaborations
School recruitment
Expanding collaborations
Vision &
design
Developing study materials and planning
2015 2017
Pilot
studyBEATS Student Survey
Focus Groups & Interviews
GIS Analysis
Reports and publicationsMandic S et al. BMJ Open. 2016; 6:e011196
Mandic S et al. Retos, 2015:28;197-202.
2016
Refining
BEATS Parental Survey
n=1,780
18 FG + 12 Interviews
n=365
Keeping the Team Together
• Regular meetings of the research team
• Regular progress reports for stakeholders and
participating schools
• Community involvement and support
• Learning together and from each other
• Celebrating along the way
Regular Progress Reports
1st year 3rd year 4th year
Reports available on the BEATS Study website: www.otago.ac.nz/beats
Comprehensive Dissemination of
Research Findings
Last updated: June 2017
BEATS Study Journal Articles to Date
From vision to implementation
Mandic et al. Retos, 2015:28;197-202.
Mandic et al. BMJ Open. 2016; 6:e011196
BEATS Study protocol
Clustering of (un)healthy
behaviours in adolescents
Mandic et al. Am J Health Behav.
2017;41(3):266-275
BEATS Study Journal Articles to Date
Adolescents perceptions of
walking versus cycling to school
Mandic et al. J Transp Health, 2017:
4:294-304.
Hopkins & Mandic. Int J Sustain Transp.
2017;11(5):342-356
Adolescents’ attitudes towards
cycle skills training
Mandic et al. Transp Res F: Traff
Psych Behav. 2016;42:217-226
Parental perceptions of
cycle skills training
Mandic et al. J Transp Health, [in press;
Epub 24 Mar 2017]
Perceptions of cycling to school
BEATS Study Journal Articles to Date
Cycling to school:
Christchurch versus Dunedin
Frater et al. Transp Res F: Traff
Psych Behav. 2017;49:205-214
School choice and active
transport to school
Mandic et al. J Transp Health, [in press;
Epub 30 May 2017]
Dissemination of Findings
to the Community
• Presentations to Dunedin City Council
(progress reports)
• Technical reports for schools
– 13 individual school reports
(~50 pages each)
– 2 reports for Dunedin Secondary
Schools’ Partnerships
• Presentations to community groups
• Presentations for Ministry of Health
and Ministry of Transport
www.otago.ac.nz/beats/news
05 Nov 2014
21 July 2016
Developing Research Capacity
Recent PhD graduates, post-doctoral
fellows and early-career academics Master’s students
Honours students Summer research students
Dr Jillian
Frater
(Canterbury)
Chiew Ching
Kek
Dr Judith
Rodda
(Otago)
Dr Debbie
Hopkins
(Otago/
Oxford)
Tessa
Pocock
Dr Christina
Ergler
(Otago)
Logan
Copland
Alex
Mintoft-
Jones
Tessa
Pocock
Tessa
Pocock
Siobhan
McArthur
Dana
LawrieChiew
Ching
Kek
Lauren
KeaneyAshley
Mountfort
Leiana
Sloane
Dr Daniela
Aldabe
(Otago)
BEATS Research Team 2017 Collaborators
Dr Sandra
Mandic
(Otago)
Dr Christina
Ergler
(Otago)
Dr Debbie
Hopkins
(Oxford)
A/Prof Antoni
Moore
(Otago)
Dr Susan
Sandretto
(Otago)
A/Prof Melody
Oliver
(Auckland)
Prof John
Spence
(Alberta)
Dr Enrique
García
(Victoria)
Dr Palma
Chillón
(Granada)
Dr Kirsten
Coppell
(Otago)
Dr Anna
Rolleston
(Auckland)
Mrs Charlotte
Flaherty
Mr Gordon
Wilson
(DSSP)
Advisory Board
Prof Janet
Stephenson
(Otago)
A/Prof
Michael Keall
(Otago)
…
What is on the Horizon?
BEATS-2 (2019-2021)Dunedin
BEATS-R (2018-2020)Central Otago
Exercise
ScienceHealth Built
EnvironmentEducationTransportation
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www.otago.ac.nz/active-living/research/publications
BEATS Research Team (2013-2016)Principal Investigator:
Dr Sandy Mandic, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences
Associate Investigators:
Dr Tony Moore, School of Surveying, University of Otago
Dr John Williams, Department of Marketing, University of Otago
Prof John C Spence, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Dr Enrique García Bengoechea, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Dr Debbie Hopkins, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
Ms Charlotte Flaherty, Safe and Sustainable Transport Coordinator, DCC
Advisory Board:
Dr Janet Stephenson, Centre for Sustainability: Agriculture, Food, Energy, Environment
Mr Gordon Wilson, Chair, Dunedin Secondary School Principals Association
Mr Andrew Lonie, Recreation Planning Officer, Dunedin City Council (2013-2015)
Ms Ruth Zeinert, Project Manager, Getting Dunedin Active, Dunedin (2013-2016)
Dr Tara Duncan, Department of Tourism, University of Otago
Dr Susan Sandretto, College of Education, University of Otago
Project Coordinators: Tessa Pocock (2016-2017); Leiana Sloane, Emily Brook (2015);
Ashley Mountfort (2014)
BEATS Research Students and Research Assistants
(2013-2016)
Research Students
• Tessa Pocock (Master’s)
• Kek Chiew Ching (Master’s)
• Logan Copland (Master’s)
• Leiana Sloane (Honours)
• Lauren Keaney (Honours)
• Siobhan McArthur (Summer)
• Dana Lawrie (Summer)
• Alex Mintoft-Jones (Summer)
• Ashley Mountfort (Summer)
Research Assistants• Judith Rodda, PhD
• Daniela Aldabe, PhD
• Alex Mintoft-Jones
• Tessa Pocock
• Emily Brook, BSc PGDip
• Candice Perring, BPhEd
• Daria Gibbons, BSc
• Hayley Horwood, MPhEd
• Claire Hodge, PGDip
• Angela Findlay, PhD student
• Chelsea Cunningham, BPhEd
• Madeep Kaur, PhD student
• Lizhou Liu, PhD student
• Priya Kannan, PhD student
• Arum Balasundaram, PhD student
• Kareem Diab, PhD
• Manal Aziz, PhD
20+ volunteers
Technical and admin support:
Hamish Gould, Nigel Barrett,
Kimberley Lamond
Tessa Pocock, BPhEd(Hons)
Chiew Ching Kek, MA
Alex Mintoft-Jones
Ashley Mountfort, BSc
Emily Brook, PGDip
Candice Perring, BPhEd
Daria Gibbons, BSc
Hayley Horwood, BPhEd
Claire Hodge, PGDip
Lauren Keaney (Honours student)
Hamish Gould, Nigel Barrett
Volunteers
Schools, students, parents,
teachers and school principals
Acknowledgments
John Williams, PhD
Tony Moore, PhD
Charlotte Flaherty, BComm (DCC)
Enrique Garcia Bengoechea, PhD
John Spence, PhD
Debbie Hopkins, PhD (CSAFE)
Gordon Wilson (DSSP)
Tara Duncan, PhD
Janet Stephenson, PhD (CSAFE)
Ruth Zeinert (GDA)
Andrew Lonie (DCC)
Susan Sandretto, PhD
2015-2016
www.otago.ac.nz/beats Thank you!
