BIO

Dr. Zhiguang Zhang has expertise in the research area of the 24-hour movement behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep), health, and development in early childhood. She has published more than 30 peer-reviewed papers in this area, with a Google Scholar H-index of 11. She has been involved in policy work with the WHO guidelines and was a member of the Leadership Group that developed the Australian 24-hour movement guidelines for the early year, as well as for children and young people. Currently, she is a member of the Leadership Committee of the Portuguese 24-h Movement Guidelines Project.

EDUCATION

2016.08 – 2019.12  Ph.D. 

Early Start, Faculty of Social Science, University of Wollongong (Australia)

2012.09 – 2014.06  M.Ed 

Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University (China)

2008.09 – 2012.06  B.S. 

Faculty of Biology Science, Beijing Normal University (China)

TEACHING & RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2019.11 – 2021.12  Postdoctoral Fellow

Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta (Canada)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

2022

1. Zhang, Z., Predy, M., Hesketh, K. D., Pritchard, L., & Carson. V. (2022). Demographic Correlates of Movement Behaviors in Infants: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 19(3), 177-185.

2. Carson, V., Zhang, Z., Kuzik, N., Adamo, K. B., Predy, M., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. & Okely, A. D. (2022). The impact of new government childcare accreditation standards on children’s in-care physical activity and sedentary time. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1-17.

3. Carson, V., Zhang, Z., Predy, M., Pritchard, L., Hesketh K.D. (2022) Longitudinal associations between infant movement behaviours and development. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19 (10), 1-15.

4. Okely, A. D., Ghersi, D., Loughran, S. P., Cliff, D. P., Shilton, T., Jones, R. A., Stanley, R. M., Sherring, J., Toms, N., Eckermann, S., Olds, T., Zhang, Z., Parrish, A.M., Kervin, L., Downie, S., Salmon, J., Bannerman, C., Needham, T., Marshall, E., Kaufman, J., Brown, L., Wille, J., Wood, G., Lubans, D.R., Biddle., S. J. H., Pill, S., Hargreaves, A., Jonas, N., Schranz, N., Campbell, P., Ingram, K., Dean, H., Verrender, A., Ellis, Y., Chong, K.H., Dumuid, D., Katzmarzyk, P.T., Draper, C.E., Lewthwaite, H. & Tremblay, M. S. (2022). A collaborative approach to adopting/adapting guidelines. The Australian 24-hour movement guidelines for children (5-12 years) and young people (13-17 years): An integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19(1), 1-21.

2021

5. Zhang, Z., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Kuzik, N., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. & Carson, V. (2021). Associations between screen time and cognitive development in preschoolers. Paediatrics & Child Health, pxab067

6. Zhang, Z., Predy, M., Kuzik, N., Hewitt, L., Hesketh, K.D., Pritchard, L., Okely, A.D. & Carson, V. (2021). Validity of an Infant Tummy Time Questionnaire and Time-use Diary against the GENEActiv Accelerometer. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 1-12.

7. Zhang, Z., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Kuzik, N., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. & Carson, V. (2021). Associations between sleep duration, adiposity indicators, and cognitive development in young children. Sleep Medicine, 82, 54-60.

8. Zhang, Z.*, Sousa-Sá, E., Pereira, J. R., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2021). Correlates of sleep duration in early childhood: a systematic review. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 19(3), 407-425.

9. Zhang, Z., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Kuzik, N., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. & Carson, V. (2021). Longitudinal Correlates of Sleep Duration in Young Children. Sleep Medicine, 78, 128-134.

10. Zhang, Z., Kuzik, N., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. and Carson, V. (2021). Associations Between the Child Care Environment and Children’s In-Care Physical Activity and Sedentary Time. Health Education & Behavior, 48(1), 42-53.

11. Pereira, J., Santos, R., Sousa-Sá, E., Zhang, Z., Burley, J., Veldman, S. L., & Cliff, D. P. (2021). Longitudinal differences in levels and bouts of sedentary time by different day types among Australian toddlers and pre-schoolers. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1-8.

12. Sousa-Sá, E., Agostinis-Sobrinho, C., Lopes, L., Moreira, C., Abreu, S., Pereira, J.R., Zhang, Z., Rodrigues, B. & Santos, R. (2021). Prevalence, patterns and socio-demographic correlates of sleep duration in adolescents: results from the LabMed study. Sleep Medicine, 83, 204-209.

13.  Pereira, J. R., Cliff, D. P., Sousa-Sá, E., Zhang, Z., McNeill, J., Veldman, S. L., & Santos, R. (2021). Objectively Measured Sedentary Levels and Bouts by Day Type in Australian Young Children. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 1(aop), 1-7.

14.  Sousa-Sá, E., Ruiz, J. R., Zhang, Z., Pereira, J. R., Veldman, S. L., Okely, A. D., & Santos, R. (2021). Sedentary time and blood pressure in Australian toddlers: The get-up study longitudinal results. Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(2), 227-231.

15.  Pereira, J. R., Zhang, Z., Sousa-Sá, E., Santos, R., & Cliff, D. P. (2021). Correlates of sedentary time in young children: A systematic review. European journal of sport science, 21(1), 118-130.

16. Lopes L., Santos R., Coelho-e-Silva J.M., Draper E.C., Mota J., Jidovtseff B., Clark C., Schmidt M., Morgan J.P., Duncan M., O'Brien W., Bentsen P., D’Hondt E., Houwen S., Stratton G., De Martelaer K., Scheuer C., Herrman C., García-Hermoso A., Ramírez-Vélez R.,Palmeira A., Gerlach E., Rosário R., Issartel J., Esteban-Cornejo I., Ruiz J., Veldman S., Zhang Z., Colella D., Povoas C. A. S., Haibach-Beach P., Pereira J., McGrane B., Saraiva J., Temple A.V., Silva P.M.R., Sigmund E., Sousa-Sá E., Adamakis M., Moreira C., Utesch T., True L., Cheung P., Carcamo-Oyarzun J., Charitou S., Chillon P., Robazza C., Silva A., Silva D.R.P., Lima R.A., Mourão-Carvalhal I., Khodaverdi Z., Zequinão M., Pereira B., Prista A., Agostinis-Sobrinho C. (2021). A Narrative Review of Motor Competence in Children and Adolescents: What we Know and What we Need to Find Out. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1),18.

17. Varman SD, Cliff DP, Jones RA, Hammersley ML, Zhang Z, Charlton K, Kelly B. Experiential Learning Interventions and Healthy Eating Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(20):10824. 

2020

18. Guan, H., Zhang, Z., Wang, B., Okely, A. D., Tong, M., Wu, J., & Zhang, T. (2020). Proportion of kindergarten children meeting the WHO guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep and associations with adiposity in urban Beijing. BMC Pediatrics, 20(1), 1-9. (Co-first author)

19. Sousa‐Sá, E., Zhang, Z., Pereira, J. R., Wright, I. M., Okely, A. D., & Santos, R. (2020). Systematic review on retinal microvasculature, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and adiposity in children and adolescents. Acta Paediatrica. 109(10), 1956–1973

20. Sousa-Sá, E., Zhang, Z., Pereira, J. R., Veldman, S. L., Okely, A. D., & Santos, R. (2020). The Get-Up! study: adiposity and blood pressure in Australian toddlers. Porto Biomedical Journal, 5(4).

21.  Pereira, J. R., Sousa-Sá, E., Zhang, Z., Cliff, D. P., & Santos, R. (2020). Concurrent validity of the ActiGraph GT3X+ and activPAL for assessing sedentary behaviour in 2–3-year-old children under free-living conditions. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 23(2), 151-156.

22. Chong, K. H., Parrish, A. M., Cliff, D. P., Kemp, B. J., Zhang, Z., & Okely, A. D. (2020). Changes in physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep across the transition from primary to secondary school: A systematic review. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 23(5), 498-505.

23. Sousa-Sa, E., McNeill, J., Pereira, J. R., Zhang, Z., Okely, A.D., & Santos, R. (2020). Systematic Review on the Associations between Objectively Measured Breaks in Sitting Time and Cardiovascular Health in Youth. International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports, 9(1), 26-43.

24. Parrish, A. M., Tremblay, M. S., Carson, S., Veldman, S. L., Cliff, D., Vella, S., Chong, K.H., Nacher, M.N., Cruz, B., Ellis, Y., Aubert, S., Spaven, B., Sameeha, M.J., Zhang, Z., & Okely, A.D. (2020). Comparing and assessing physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents: a systematic literature review and analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1), 16.

2019

25. Zhang, Z.*, Pereira, J. R., Sousa‐Sá, E., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2019). The cross‐sectional and prospective associations between sleep characteristics and adiposity in toddlers: Results from the GET UP! Study. Pediatric Obesity, 14, e12557.

26. Zhang, Z.*, Sousa-Sá, E., Pereira, J. R., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2019). The Associations Between Environmental Characteristics of Early Childhood Education and Care Centers and 1-Year Change in Toddlers’ Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 16(11), 1000-1006.

27. Zhang, Z., Sousa-Sá, E., Pereira, J., Chaput, J. P., Okely, A., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2019). Correlates of nocturnal sleep duration, nocturnal sleep variability, and nocturnal sleep problems in toddlers: results from the GET UP! Study. Sleep Medicine, 53, 124-132.

28. Sousa-Sá, E., Pereira, J. R., Zhang, Z., Veldman, S. L., Okely, A. D., & Santos, R. (2019). Association between breaks in sitting time and adiposity in Australian toddlers: Results from the GET-UP! study. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 29(2), 259-265.

29. Pereira, J. R., Cliff, D. P., Sousa-Sá, E., Zhang, Z., & Santos, R. (2019). Prevalence of objectively measured sedentary behavior in early years: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 29(3), 308-328.

2018

30. Zhang, Z.*, Pereira, J. R., Sousa-Sa, E., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2018). Environmental characteristics of early childhood education and care centres and young children’s weight status: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 106, 13-25.

31. Zhang, Z.*, Pereira, J. R., Sousa-Sá, E., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2018). Environmental characteristics of early childhood education and care, daily movement behaviours and adiposity in toddlers: A multilevel mediation analysis from the GET UP! Study. Health & Place, 54, 236-243.

32. Veldman, S. L., Jones, R. A., Santos, R., Sousa-Sá, E., Pereira, J. R., Zhang, Z., & Okely, A. D. (2018). Associations between gross motor skills and physical activity in Australian toddlers. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21(8), 817-821.

2017

33. Santos, R., Zhang, Z., Pereira, J. R., Sousa-Sá, E., Cliff, D. P., & Okely, A. D. (2017). Compliance with the Australian 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years: associations with weight status. BMC Public Health, 17(5), 867.

34. Okely, A. D., Ghersi, D., Hesketh, K. D., Santos, R., Loughran, S. P., Cliff, D. P., Shilton, T., Grant, D., Jones, R. A., Stanley, R. M., Sherring, J., Hinkley, T., Trost, S. G., McHugh, C., Eckermann, S., Thorpe, K., Waters, K., Olds, T. S., Mackey, T., Livingstone, R., Christian, H., Carr, H., Verrender, A., Pereira, J. R., Zhang, Z., Downing, K. L., Tremblay, M. S. (2017). A collaborative approach to adopting/adapting guidelines-The Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the early years (Birth to 5 years): an integration of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. BMC Public Health, 17(5), 869.

SELECTED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Guideline Development

2019–2025  The Portuguese 24-h Movement Guidelines

-Member, Leadership Committee

2018  World Health Organization Global Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Sleep for Children under 5 Years of Age

-Contribution

2018  The Australian 24-hr Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People

Member, Guideline Development Group

2017  The Australian 24-hr Movement Guidelines for the Early Years

Member, Guideline Development Group

Research Project

2020–2021  The Role of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in the Healthy Growth and Development of Infants (Early Movers)

-Contribution

2019–2020  The Supporting healthy active childcare settings (HATCH) study

-Contribution

2018  International surveillance of movement behaviours in the early years (The SUNRISE pilot study)

- Member, Data collection team in China

2015–2018  Effects of reduced sitting on toddlers' cognitive development: a cluster randomized controlled trial (The GET-UP! Study)

- Contribution

 SELECTED ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS

1.  Zhang, Z., Predy, M., Hesketh, K.D., Pritchard, L., Carson, V. (2021, October). Demographic correlates of movement behaviours in infants. Presentation at the 8th International Society of Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) Congress. Online

2. Zhang, Z., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Kuzik, N.,Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. and Carson, V. (2021, October).  Associations between screen time and cognitive development in preschoolers. Presentation at the 8th International Society of Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) Congress. Online

3. Zhang, Z., Kuzik, N., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. and Carson, V.  (2021 June). Associations between the childcare environment and children's in-care physical activity and sedentary time. Presentation at the International Society Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) XChange. Online.

4. Zhang, Z., Predy, M., Kuzik, N., Hewitt, L. Hesketh, K., Pritchard, L., Okely, A.D. and Carson, V.  (2021, June). Validity of an infant tummy time questionnaire and time-use diary against the GENEActiv accelerometer . Presentation at the International Society Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) XChange. Online.

5. Zhang, Z., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Kuzik, N., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. and Carson, V. (2021, Feburary). Associations between sleep duration, adiposity, and cognitive development in young children. Oral presentation at the 6^th congress of International Pediatric Sleep Association (IPSA). Online.

6. Zhang, Z., Adamo, K.B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G.S., Okely, A.D., Kuzik, N., Crozier, M., Hunter, S., Predy, M. and Carson, V. (2021, Feburary). Longitudinal correlates of sleep duration in young children. Poster presentation at the 6^th congress of International Pediatric Sleep Association Conference (IPSA). Online.

7. Zhang, Z., Sousa-Sa, E., Pereira, J. R., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2019, June) The associations between environmental characteristics of early childhood education and care centres and one-year change in toddlers’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour: a multilevel analysis from the GET UP! Study. Oral presentation at the 18^th meeting of International Society Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA). the Czech Republic.

8. Zhang, Z., Pereira, J. R., Sousa-Sá, E., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2018, October). Environmental characteristics of early childhood education and care, daily movement behaviours and adiposity in toddlers: A multilevel mediation analysis from the GET UP! Study. Poster Presentation at the 7^th congress of International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH), England

9. Zhang Z., Veldman S., Pereira J.R, de Jongh S., Sousa-Sa E., Okely A.D., Santos R. (2017, January). Blood Pressure, waist circumference and physical activity in Australian toddlers. Poster Presentation at the 2^nd Children's Physical Activity and Sport Conference, Finland.

10. Zhang, Z., Pereira, J. R., Sousa-Sa, E., Okely, A. D., Feng, X., & Santos, R. (2017, June). Environmental characteristics of early childhood education and care centres and young children’s weight status: A systematic review. Poster Presentation at the International Conference on Childhood Obesity, Portugal.

SERVICE & CONSULTING

Grant Peer-Review

2021 

The Czech Science Foundation

Academic Journal Peer-Review

2022

1) European Journal of Pediatrics (1 paper)

2021

1) International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (1 paper)

2) Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (1 paper)

3) Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science (1 paper)

4) European Journal of Pediatrics (1 paper)

5) BMJ Open (1 paper)

6) BMC Pediatrics (1 paper)

7) International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (1 paper)

7) Children (1 paper)

8) European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (1 paper)

2020

1) PLOS ONE (1 paper)

2) Infancy (1 paper)

3) BMC Public Health (1 paper)

4) BMC Pediatrics (3 paper)

Professional Organization Member

2022 – Present  International Pediatric Sleep Association

2020 – Present  Women and Children’s Health Research Institute

2019 – Present  The International Motor Competence Network

2019 – Present  International Network of Time-Use Epidemiologists

2017 – Present  Sedentary Behaviour Research Network