Sport, Health, Activity,
Performance and
Exercise Research Centre

SHAPE is a multidisciplinary research centre focused on movement behaviours. We are committed to high quality translational research that will enhance knowledge and understanding around sport and physical activity.

These are areas of growing national significance, given the challenges that Australians face with respect to emerging health concerns such as overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and poor dietary practice.

There are also challenges facing individual and community health in contemporary Western society that are influenced by social determinants such as age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and socioeconomic status.

We are uniquely positioned to assist in tackling community health issues through our high-quality research.

We provide high quality research services and policy advice regarding:

sport
community health
health promotion
physical education
physical activity
performance
sports nutrition
exercise

Research areas

Our partners

Our people

Sport can be a great driver of joy, inspiration, belonging and health for anybody if they get the chance to participate in a way that matches their needs and perceptions.

Professor Murray Drummond

Our core research themes are:

Physical activity and
movement behaviour

Increasing population levels of physical activity
Preventing and managing chronic disease
Measuring activity behaviour

Sport, society
and culture

Sociocultural dimensions of youth sport
Sport coaching and pedagogy
Transitions and pathways in sport

Exercise and sport
science

Biomechanics and physiology
High performance and athletic development
Strength and conditioning

Partnerships

SHAPE welcomes the opportunity to work with other organisations that may have applied research interests in sport, health, activity, performance and exercise.

We are available to assist in research opportunities and to explore different funding options for applied research, ranging from fully independently funded, through to joint-funded and publicly funded options.

Our current partnerships

South Adelaide Football Club

Sport Australia

Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation Inc

Australian Football League

Office for Recreation Sport and Racing (South Australia)

Department of Education (South Australia)

South Australian National Football League

Surf Lifesaving South Australia

Inclusive Sport South Australia

Netball South Australia

Theme: Physical activity and movement behaviours

Dr Lucy Lewis is leading an observational study investigating physical activity, mood and cognition of older adults living in residential care. Despite the global ageing population and increases in the number of older adults living in residential care, there is a paucity of literature investigating physical activity in this population.

Lucy used accelerometry to measure the activity of 50 independently mobile older adults across four residential care facilities. On average, participants spent 12.8 hours per day sedentary, 1.6 hours in light activity, and less than 15 minutes per day in moderate or vigorous physical activity. There were no significant associations between activity, cognition or mood. The study has demonstrated that older adults living in residential care in Australia spend most of their day sedentary, and engage in only small amounts of light, and higher intensity activity.

The findings of this study demonstrate a clear need for guidelines for activity for this population, and the design of targeted interventions to increase physical activity and break up sedentary time.

Theme: Sport, culture and society

Dr Sam Elliott is currently leading a research program focused on enhancing parental involvement and the youth sport experience. Parents' involvement in youth sport is of priori importance for initating and sustaining active participation in youth sport.

Dr Elliott's work has featured internationally with the Erasmus-funded SportParent European Union and is the sole citation on the national Let kids be kids campaign. He was the first researcher to illuminate the impact of parental behaviour beyond the sport setting during the car ride home and the first researcher to examine the meaning of parental verbal behaviour in youth sport.

Dr Elliott is currently leading an exciting grounded theory study to develop a theoretical model for building successful parent and coach relaitonships in youth sport in partnership with the South Australian National Football League.

Listen to Beyond the Club podcast

Beyond the Club is a sport podcast that communicates research knowledge for clubs, coaches and parents to become more knowledgeable, skilled and agile. Beyond the club is a SHAPE Research Centre initiative funded by the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (SA).

Learn more