Overview
I joined the Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre (CHERC) in 2019, after completing my MSc 2017/18 in Sport and Health Sciences at University of Exeter.
My PhD focuses on physical activity, nutrition and musculoskeletal health in childhood and adolescence. This PhD project in is collaboration with University of Eastern Finland, working with the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Childhood (PANIC) study, which is an ongoing longitudinal study in a population sample of Finnish children.
I am involved in teaching on the BSc Sport and Health Sciences programme, and have taught on Paediatric Exercise Physiology, Human Physiology and Introduction to Statistics.
Qualifications
MSc in Sport and Health Sciences (Distinction) - University of Exeter
Publications
Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year
Publications by category
Journal articles
Constable A, Vlachopoulos D, Barker A (2022). The Mediating Role of Endocrine Factors in the Positive Relationship Between Fat Mass and Bone Mineral Content in Children Aged 9–11 Years: the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children Study.
Frontiers in EndocrinologyAbstract:
The Mediating Role of Endocrine Factors in the Positive Relationship Between Fat Mass and Bone Mineral Content in Children Aged 9–11 Years: the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children Study
Introduction: We aimed to investigate whether the relationship between fat mass and bone mineral content (BMC) is mediated by insulin, leptin, adiponectin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, testosterone and estradiol in children aged 9-11 years.
Materials and Methods: We utilised cross-sectional data from the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children study (n = 230 to 396; 112 to 203 girls). Fat mass and BMC were assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Endocrine factors were assessed from fasted blood samples. We applied the novel 4-way decomposition method to analyse associations between fat mass, endocrine factors, and BMC.
Results: Fat mass was positively associated with BMC in girls (ß = 0.007 to 0.015, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.005 to 0.020) and boys (ß = 0.009 to 0.015, 95% CI 0.005 to 0.019). The relationship between fat mass and BMC was mediated by free leptin index in girls (ß = -0.025, 95% CI -0.039 to -0.010) and boys (ß = -0.014, 95% CI -0.027 to -0.001). The relationship between fat mass and BMC was partially explained by mediated interaction between fat mass and free leptin index in boys (ß = -0.009, 95% CI -0.013 to -0.004) and by interaction between fat mass and adiponectin in girls (ß = -0.003, 95% CI -0.006 to -0.000).
Conclusion: at greater levels of adiponectin and free leptin index, the fat mass and BMC relationship becomes less positive in girls and boys respectively. The positive association between fat mass with BMC was largely not explained by the endocrine factors we assessed.
Clinical Trial Registration: [https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01803776], identifier NCT01803776.
Keywords: adiposity, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), paediatric
Abstract.
Full text.
Publications by year
2022
Constable A, Vlachopoulos D, Barker A (2022). The Mediating Role of Endocrine Factors in the Positive Relationship Between Fat Mass and Bone Mineral Content in Children Aged 9–11 Years: the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children Study.
Frontiers in EndocrinologyAbstract:
The Mediating Role of Endocrine Factors in the Positive Relationship Between Fat Mass and Bone Mineral Content in Children Aged 9–11 Years: the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children Study
Introduction: We aimed to investigate whether the relationship between fat mass and bone mineral content (BMC) is mediated by insulin, leptin, adiponectin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, testosterone and estradiol in children aged 9-11 years.
Materials and Methods: We utilised cross-sectional data from the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children study (n = 230 to 396; 112 to 203 girls). Fat mass and BMC were assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Endocrine factors were assessed from fasted blood samples. We applied the novel 4-way decomposition method to analyse associations between fat mass, endocrine factors, and BMC.
Results: Fat mass was positively associated with BMC in girls (ß = 0.007 to 0.015, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.005 to 0.020) and boys (ß = 0.009 to 0.015, 95% CI 0.005 to 0.019). The relationship between fat mass and BMC was mediated by free leptin index in girls (ß = -0.025, 95% CI -0.039 to -0.010) and boys (ß = -0.014, 95% CI -0.027 to -0.001). The relationship between fat mass and BMC was partially explained by mediated interaction between fat mass and free leptin index in boys (ß = -0.009, 95% CI -0.013 to -0.004) and by interaction between fat mass and adiponectin in girls (ß = -0.003, 95% CI -0.006 to -0.000).
Conclusion: at greater levels of adiponectin and free leptin index, the fat mass and BMC relationship becomes less positive in girls and boys respectively. The positive association between fat mass with BMC was largely not explained by the endocrine factors we assessed.
Clinical Trial Registration: [https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01803776], identifier NCT01803776.
Keywords: adiposity, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), paediatric
Abstract.
Full text.
Annie_Constable Details from cache as at 2022-05-19 20:20:24
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