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  The role of 24-h health related behaviours in student health


   Department of Population Health Sciences

  Prof Ruth James  Friday, February 21, 2025  Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

About the Project

The Leicester Lifestyle and Health Research Group (LLHRG)

Project

Aim

To establish the Study Health Project at the University of Leicester and determine the role of 24h health-related behaviours in student health and wellbeing.

Background

Markers of cardiometabolic health in undergraduate students deteriorate over the course of an academic year (1), and a considerable proportion of students develop poor health-related behaviours whilst at university (2). Young adults are yet to establish lifelong habits and over the past two decades the proportion and diversity of young people attending university has increased substantially (3). Despite this, student health and health-related behaviours have largely been ignored. Therefore, student focussed health behaviour interventions present opportunities to influence the long-term health and wellbeing of a large proportion of the population.

Methods

The student will collect self-reported sociodemographic data, physical and mental health status and 24h health-related behaviours (aligned with the BRC core outcomes), in a large cohort of University of Leicester students. This will be done at multiple points within and across years, and with a particular focus on underserved groups such as those of minoritized ethnicity. Data will be compared to data collected at NTU (n>10,000), and to young adults already living with chronic diseases using existing datasets held at the DRC.

Using wearable technologies and /or mHealth data collection methods, the student will gather objective data of student’s health related behaviours, including dietary habits, physical activity and sedentary behaviour patterns and sleep profiles.

Observational data will describe and understand health-related behaviours in students, particularly those in underserved groups. The student will then co-design (with the target population(s)), and pilot a health behaviour intervention. This will follow a previously successfully approach (4), with various culturally tailored components for underserved groups. Integration of mHealth based interventions are likely to be suitable/successful in a student population.

Expected outcomes and impact

This PhD offers the opportunity to deliver a number of high-quality research papers. The holistic approach to health, rather than studying factor in isolation will yield novel findings. Objective and longitudinal data will also fill the current void in understanding the unique challenges and health trajectories of underserved groups, contributing to evidence-based interventions tailored for diverse student populations.

Establishing the Study Health Project as a program of work at the University of Leicester will also allow knowledge exchange activities and collaborations with other universities in the East Midlands and across the UK, as well as engaging with other stakeholders in student health and wellbeing, such as the NUS, OfS and DfE.

To apply

Please refer to our web page. Read the How to Apply section carefully and use the application link at the bottom of the web page to apply

https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/funded-opportunities/leicester-lifestyle--and-health-rg

Enquiries to the project supervisor Professor Ruth James

Further enquiries to  (Include Leicester Lifestyle and Health E3 studentship in the subject line) 

Biological Sciences (4)

Funding Notes

The Leicester Lifestyle and Health Research Group (LLHRG)

Studentships will be open to home and international applicants.

The funding will provide:

  • 3.5 years stipend at UKRI rates (full time) for 2024/5 this will be £19,237 pa. 2025/6 rates to be confirmed
  • 3.5 years Tuition Fees at UK rates*
  • Access to a Research Training Support Grant of up to £1,500 per annum during Years 1 to 3, to cover the cost of related training and development opportunities (e.g. specific training courses, conference attendance, fieldwork, language training, overseas research visits, internships or placements with a non-academic partner).
  • Bench fees of up to £5,000 per annum during Years 1 to 3 for laboratory-based studies (applications for costs greater than this may be considered through case-by-case proposals). 

*International candidates will be asked to confirm they can cover the fee difference at the point of application. For 2025/6 entry this will be £18,864 per year of study. Fee waivers may be sought for exceptional candidates, but are not guaranteed.