Dr. Harris receives Canada Foundation for Innovation award for innovative physical activity research

Friday, September 20, 2024

Dr. Harris has been awarded $100,000 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) for her proposed research titled "Integrating behavioural science and digital health approaches to predict and promote physical activity".

Project summary

Engaging in regular physical activity is associated with numerous physical, psychological, and mental health benefits; however, the majority of Canadians are insufficiently active. In 2021, the total economic cost of sedentary behaviour was estimated at $2.2 billion, representing 1.6% of the overall burden of illness costs in Canada. To understand why many Canadians choose to engage in sedentary behaviours rather than physical activity, a deeper understanding of psychological, social, and environmental factors influencing people's decision-making is needed. Through this infrastructure proposal, Dr. Harris aims to better understand how people make decisions regarding their physical activity behaviours and develop digital health interventions that are individually tailored to a person's unique psychological and contextual state. The requested infrastructure will help examine potential mechanisms underlying people's decision-making and the efficacy of these digital interventions on physical activity behaviour. Novel real-time data capture methods and wearable devices will help examine factors predicting physical activity in people's natural environments. The proposed research will inform the development and delivery of interventions that adapt to a person's unique and dynamic needs as an innovative approach to promoting physical activity and addressing the urgent need for primary prevention measures to enhance the overall health and well-being of Canadians.