UC Research Profile - University of Canterbury

Dr Matt Hobbs

Contact

Department: School of Health Sciences

Email: matt.hobbs@canterbury.ac.nz

Direct Dial: +64 3 3690198

Office: Manawa 405G

Language: English

It is difficult to envisage a future where obesity prevalence decreases in environments that actively promote it

About

Research / Creative works

Researcher Summary

Dr. Matt Hobbs uses geospatial and population health methods to inform local and national public health policy to plan healthy places and reduce health inequities. He conducts research in the areas of: i) physical activity and sport; ii) geospatial and population health; and iii) social and cultural inequity.

His research is consistently published in world-leading journals such as The Lancet and JAMA Paediatrics, and important field-leading journals such as Preventive Medicine and the International Journal of Obesity.

His commitment to high quality research and teaching has been recognized by securing five coveted awards (three awards in 2019/20) with two further nominations. Perhaps most prestigiously, in 2019 he was awarded by the European Association for the Study of Obesity the New Investigator Award in Public Health which recognises “rising stars in the field of obesity through their wider contributions to Public Health and are highly regarded throughout the scientific community”.

He is on the international advisory panel and is incoming deputy editor for Perspectives in Public Health a flagship journal of the Royal Society for Public Health (MRSPH) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA & PGCHE).

Subject Area: Disciplines

Education: Physical Education
Health and Health Sciences: Epidemiology ; Health Behaviour Change ; Public Health ; Sport & Exercise Science
Human Geography: GIS ; GIS/Health

Prizes and Awards

Distinction

New Investigator Award in Public Health awarded by European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) ( 2019 - 2021)

HRSC Emerging Researcher Awards - CMRF prize for best postdoctoral presentation ( 2019 - 2021)

Health Geography Award awarded by The International Geographical Union Commission on Health and the Environment (IGU CHE) for best paper ( 2019 - 2021)

Inspiring Lecturer Finalist ( 2018 - 2021)

Prize for Best Poster Presentation awarded by The Society for Social Medicine at The 61st Annual Scientific Meeting ( 2017 - 2021)

Prize for Outstanding Academic Achievement ( 2012 - 2021)

Sir Robert Martin University Prize Nominee - Loughborough University ( 2013 - 2021)

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles

Hobbs M., Moltchanova E., Wicks C., Pringle A., Griffiths C., Radley D. and Zwolinsky S. (2021) Investigating the environmental, behavioural, and sociodemographic determinants of attendance at a city-wide public health physical activity intervention: Longitudinal evidence over one year from 185,245 visits. Preventive Medicine 143 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106334.

Egli V., Hobbs M., Carlson J., Donnellan N., Mackay L., Exeter D., Villanueva K., Zinn C. and Smith M. (2020) Deprivation matters: understanding associations between neighbourhood deprivation, unhealthy food outlets, unhealthy dietary behaviours and child body size using structural equation modelling. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 74(5): 460-466. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2019-213159.

Gray L., Rushton A. and Hobbs M. (2020) “We only have the one”: Mapping the prevalence of people with high body mass to aid regional emergency management planning in aotearoa New Zealand. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 51 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101859.

Hills SP., Barrett S., Hobbs M., Barwood MJ., Radcliffe JN., Cooke CB. and Russell M. (2020) Modifying the pre-pitch entry practices of professional soccer substitutes may contribute towards improved movement-related performance indicators on match-day: A case study. PLoS ONE 15(5) http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232611.

Hobbs M. (2020) Author Q&A: Matthew Hobbs. British Dental Journal 228(5): 340. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1398-9.

Hobbs M. and Radley D. (2020) Obesogenic environments and obesity: A comment on 'Are environmental area characteristics at birth associated with overweight and obesity in school-aged children? Findings from the SLOPE (Studying Lifecourse Obesity PrEdictors) population-based cohort in the south of England'. BMC Medicine 18(1) http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01538-5.

Hobbs M., Ahuriri-Driscoll A. and Schluter PJ. (2020) Ethnic differences in mortality and hospital admission in a New Zealand population with type 2 diabetes. The Lancet Global Health http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30445-9.

Hobbs M., Marek L., Clarke R., McCarthy J., Tomintz M., Wade A., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2020) Investigating the prevalence of non-fluoride toothpaste use in adults and children using nationally representative data from New Zealand: a cross-sectional study. British Dental Journal 228(4): 269-276. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1304-5.

Hobbs M., Marek L., Wiki J., Campbell M., Deng BY., Sharpe H., McCarthy J. and Kingham S. (2020) Close proximity to alcohol outlets is associated with increased crime and hazardous drinking: Pooled nationally representative data from New Zealand. Health and Place 65 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102397.

Hobbs M., Schoeppe S., Duncan MJ., Vandelanotte C., Marek L., Wiki J., Tomintz M., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2020) Objectively measured waist circumference is most strongly associated in father–boy and mother–girl dyads in a large nationally representative sample of New Zealanders. International Journal of Obesity http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41366-020-00699-w.

Hobbs M., Wade A., Jones P., Marek L., Tomintz M., Sharma K., McCarthy J., Mattingley B., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2020) Area-level deprivation, childhood dental ambulatory sensitive hospitalizations and community water fluoridation: evidence from New Zealand. International journal of epidemiology 49(3): 908-916. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa043.

Marek L., Hobbs M., McCarthy J., Wiki J., Tomintz M., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2020) Investigating spatial variation and change (2006–2017) in childhood immunisation coverage in New Zealand. Social Science & Medicine 113292: 113292-113292. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113292.

Marek L., Wiki J., Campbell M., Kingham S., Sabel C., Tomintz M. and Hobbs M. (2020) Slipping under the radar: worsened health outcomes in semi-urban areas of New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal 133 1519: 121-125.

Schluter PJ., Hobbs M., Atkins H., Mattingley B. and Lee M. (2020) Association between Community Water Fluoridation and Severe Dental Caries Experience in 4-Year-Old New Zealand Children. JAMA Pediatrics 174(10): 969-976. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.2201.

White A., Hills SP., Hobbs M., Cooke CB., Kilduff LP., Cook C., Roberts C. and Russell M. (2020) The physical demands of professional soccer goalkeepers throughout a week-long competitive microcycle and transiently throughout match-play. Journal of Sports Sciences 38(8): 848-854. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1736244.

Daly-Smith A., Morris JL., Hobbs M. and McKenna J. (2019) Commentary on a recent article on the effects of the 'Daily Mile' on physical activity, fitness and body composition: Addressing key limitations. BMC Medicine 17(1) http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-019-1335-4.

Hobbs M. and Atlas J. (2019) Environmental influences on behaviour and health: a call for creativity and radical shifts in thinking within contemporary research. The New Zealand medical journal 132(1505): 97-99.

Hobbs M. and McKenna J. (2019) In which population groups are food and physical activity environments related to obesity? Perspectives in Public Health 139(5): 222-223. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1757913919865138.

Hobbs M., Ahuriri-Driscoll A., Marek L., Campbell M., Tomintz M. and Kingham S. (2019) Reducing health inequity for Māori people in New Zealand. The Lancet 394(10209): 1613-1614. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30044-3.

Hobbs M., Green M., Roberts K., Griffiths C. and Mckenna J. (2019) Reconsidering the relationship between fast-food outlets, area-level deprivation, diet quality and body mass index: An exploratory structural equation modelling approach. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 73(9): 861-866. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2018-211798.

Hobbs M., Green MA., Wilkins E., Lamb KE., McKenna J. and Griffiths C. (2019) Associations between food environment typologies and body mass index: Evidence from Yorkshire, England. Social Science and Medicine 239 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112528.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green MA., Christensen A. and McKenna J. (2019) Examining longitudinal associations between the recreational physical activity environment, change in body mass index, and obesity by age in 8864 Yorkshire Health Study participants. Social Science and Medicine 227: 76-83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.06.027.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green MA., Jordan H., Saunders J., Christensen A. and McKenna J. (2019) Fast-food outlet availability and obesity: Considering variation by age and methodological diversity in 22,889 Yorkshire Health Study participants. Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology 28: 43-53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sste.2018.11.001.

Hobbs M., Tomintz M., McCarthy J., Marek L., Vannier C., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2019) Obesity risk in women of childbearing age in New Zealand: a nationally representative cross-sectional study. International Journal of Public Health 64(4): 625-635. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-019-01239-8.

Vogel C., Zwolinsky S., Griffiths C., Hobbs M., Henderson E. and Wilkins E. (2019) A Delphi study to build consensus on the definition and use of big data in obesity research. International Journal of Obesity 43(12): 2573-2586. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0313-9.

Wade A., Hobbs M. and Green M. (2019) Investigating the relationship between multimorbidity and dental attendance: a cross-sectional study of UK adults. British Dental Journal 226: 138-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2019.47.

Wilkins E., Radley D., Morris M., Hobbs M., Christensen A., Marwa WL., Morrin A. and Griffiths C. (2019) A systematic review employing the GeoFERN framework to examine methods, reporting quality and associations between the retail food environment and obesity. Health and Place 57: 186-199. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.02.007.

Hobbs M., Duncan M., Collins P., Mckenna J., Schoeppe S., Rebar AL., Alley S., Short C. and Vandelanotte C. (2018) Clusters of health behaviours in Queensland adults are associated with different socio-demographic characteristics. Journal of Public Health http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy043.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green MA., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2018) Associations between the combined physical activity environment, socioeconomic status, and obesity: a cross-sectional study. Perspectives in Public Health 138(3): 169-172. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1757913917748353.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green MA., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2018) Neighbourhood typologies and associations with body mass index and obesity: A cross-sectional study. Preventive Medicine 111: 351-357. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.11.024.

Saunders J. and Hobbs M. (2018) Behaviour change. Perspectives in Public Health 138(6): 290. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1757913918801665.

Hobbs M., Daly-Smith A., McKenna J., Quarmby T. and Morley D. (2017) Reconsidering current objectives for physical activity within physical education. British Journal of Sports Medicine http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-097328.

Hobbs M., Green M., Griffiths C., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2017) How different data sources and definitions of neighbourhood influence the association between food outlet availability and body mass index: a cross-sectional study. Perspectives in Public Health 137(3): 158-161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1757913916650916.

Hobbs M., Green MA., Griffiths C., Jordan H., Saunders J., Grimmer H. and McKenna J. (2017) Access and quality of parks and associations with obesity: A cross-sectional study. SSM - Population Health 3: 722-729. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2017.07.007.

Hobbs M., Pearson N., Foster P. and Biddle S. (2015) Sedentary behaviour and diet across the lifespan: an updated systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine 49: 1179-1188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-093754.

Hobbs M., Daly-Smith A., Morley D. and McKenna J. (2014) A case study objectively assessing female physical activity levels within the National Curriculum for Physical Education. European Physical Education Review 21(2): 149-161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1356336X14555296.

Wilson H., Dickinson F., Griffiths P., Bogin B., Hobbs M. and Varela-Silva I. (2014) Maternal short stature does not predict their children’s fatness indicators in a nutritional dual-burden sample of urban Mexican Maya. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(4): 627-634. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.22463.

Chapters

Jarrett K., López-Ros V., Siddall A., Eloi S., Hobbs M. and Marek L. (2020) Leadership in sport. The Practice of Leadership in Higher Education: Real-world Perspectives on Becoming, Being and Leaving: 150-165. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780367823849-1311.

Stevenson C., Hobbs M. and Courneya K. (2014) Physical activity and cancer. In Abrams D; Weil A (Ed.), Integrative Oncology (2nd ed.): 349-372.

Conference Contributions - Other

Hobbs M., Biddle S., Kingsnorth A., Marek L., Tomintz M., Wiki J., McCarthy J., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2020) The moderating role of parental characteristics in the association between child television viewing and measured childhood obesity: a cross-sectional study.. Online: ISBNPA XChange, 15 Jun 2020.

Hobbs M., Marek L., Tomintz M., McCarthy J., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2019) Examining the predictors of childhood obesity using related New Zealand Health Survey data.. University of Canterbury, Christchurch: The University of Canterbury child wellbeing symposium, 28 May 2019.

Hobbs M., Wade A., Marek L., Tomintz M., Campbell M., McCarthy J., Sharma K., Jones P. and Kingham S. (2019) Community water fluoridation and dental related ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations (ASH): a pooled cross-sectional study of 1,081,491 childhood hospitalisations. Queenstown: International Medical and Geography Symposium, 30 Jun-5 Jul 2019.

Marek L., Hobbs M., Tomintz M., McCarthy J., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2019) Geospatial analysis of childhood immunisation in New Zealand.. University of Canterbury: The University of Canterbury child wellbeing symposium, 28 May 2019.

Collins P., Hobbs M. and Zwonlinsky S. (2018) A longitudinal study exploring the social and built environmental influences on children’s physical activity during the transition from primary to secondary school.. London: International Society for Physical Activity and Health 2018, 1 Sep 2018.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Lamb K., Wilkins E. and McKenna J. (2018) Associations between the food environment, body mass index and obesity: a longitudinal study.. Hong Kong: International Society for Behaviour Nutrition and Physical Activity 2018, 5 Jun 2018.

Lakerveld J., Hobbs M., Mackenbach J., Pinho G. and Thornton L. (2018) Addressing methodological challenges in research on upstream determinants of lifestyle behaviours. Hong Kong: International Society for Behaviour Nutrition and Physical Activity 2018, 5 Jun 2018.

Marek L., Hobbs M., Tomintz M., McCarthy J., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2018) Spatial, demographic and socioeconomic patterning of childhood immunisation in New Zealand (2006-2017).. University of Canterbury: Health Research Society of Canterbury, 20 Aug 2019.

Hobbs M. (2017) Scrutinising current research on the food environment and obesity: messages of caution for policy makers. Doncaster Town Hall: Doncaster Local Authority - Public Health Knowledge Exchange Research Festival, 1 Oct 2017.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2017) Associations between the food environment and obesity: how methodological choices impact on outcomes.. Angers, France: International Medical and Geography Symposium 2017, 6 Jul 2017.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2017) Associations between the food environment and obesity: how methodological choices impact on outcomes.. Porto, Portugal: European Congress on Obesity, 22 May 2017.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2017) Neighbourhood typologies and obesity: a latent class analysis approach. Society for Social Medicine 2017, 5 Sep 2017.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2016) Associations between the physical activity environment and area-level deprivation and obesity: a cross sectional study of park availability and quality. Cape Town, South Africa: International Society of Behaviour Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) 2016, 1 Jun 2016.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2016) Evidence of an influence of the obesogenic environment within South Yorkshire? Cape Town, South Africa: International Society of Behaviour Nutrition and Physical Activity 2016, 8-11 Jun 2016.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2016) Evidence of an influence of the obesogenic environment within South Yorkshire? York, UK: Society for Social Medicine, 1 Sep 2016.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C. and McKenna J. (2015) Examining the impact of the obesogenic environment on adult weight status. Leeds, UK: GIS Research UK, 5 May 2015.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Gately P. and McKenna J. (2014) Examining the impact of the obesogenic environment on child weight status. UK: Emerging New Researchers in the Geographies of Health and Impairment, 19 Jun 2014.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Gately P. and McKenna J. (2014) The Obesogenic Food Environment? Sofia, Bulgaria: European Congress on Obesity 2014, 24 May 2014.

Oral Presentations

Hobbs M., Marek L., Wiki J., Deng B., Sharpe H., McCarthy J., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2020) Close proximity to alcohol outlets is associated with increased crime and hazardous drinking: pooled nationally representative data from New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand,: Otara-Papatoetoe Local Council Board, Close proximity to alcohol outlets is associated with increased crime and hazardous drinking: pooled nationally representative data from New Zealand., 15 Sep 2020.

Hobbs M., Wade A., Marek L., Tomintz M., McCarthy J., Campbell M. and Kingham S. (2020) Water fluoridation, area-level deprivation and dental related hospitalisations.. Christchurch: New Zealand Dental Association: Canterbury Branch Meeting, 26 Feb 2020.

Marek L., Campbell M., Hobbs M., Kingham S., Tomintz M. and Greenwell J. (2019) Population transience and healthcare services utilisation in Lakes DHB. Rotorua: Meeting Lakes DHB stakeholders.

Hobbs M. and Griffiths C. (2017) Associations between the built environment and obesity: intuitively appealing yet persistently elusive? Cheshire: MoreLife Conference.

Hobbs M. and Griffiths C. (2017) The obesogenic environment: what does it mean for Sheffield? Sheffield Town Hall: Sheffield Public Health Senior Leadership Meeting.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C. and McKenna J. (2017) Combining ArcGIS and multi-level modelling to gain an understanding of the obesogenic environment. Leeds, UK: Carnegie Research Seminar.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2017) Evidence of an obesogenic environment within the Rotherham and South Yorkshire? Sheffield: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Healthy Weight Networking Group, 02 Feb 2017.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2017) The obesogenic environment: what does it mean for Doncaster? Civic Office, Doncaster: Doncaster Obesity Alliance/Healthy Doncaster Alliance with Director of Public Health.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C., Green M., Jordan H., Saunders J. and McKenna J. (2016) Scrutinising the concept of the obesogenic environment.. Sheffield: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) health networking group, 01 Oct 2016.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C. and McKenna J. (2015) A geographical mechanism in the rise of obesity? Leeds, UK: Carnegie Research Seminar.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C. and McKenna J. (2015) Evidence of an obesogenic environment within the Rotherham Local Authority? Rotherham Local Authority Obesity Strategy Group.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C. and McKenna J. (2015) Examining the impact of the obesogenic environment on adult weight status. Designed to move physical activity conference.

Hobbs M. (2014) Technology: What’s hot about the obesogenic environment. Sport and Physical Activity for Health Research Conference.

Hobbs M., Griffiths C. and McKenna J. (2014) Examining the impact of the obesogenic environment on child weight status. The Leeds Metropolitan Postgraduate Research Society.

Hobbs M. (2012) Physical activity in the revised National Curriculum for Physical Education.... future directions.. Designed to move: Sport and Physical Activity for Health Research Conference.

Research Groups

GeoHealth Laboratory (GHL)