UC Research Profile - University of Canterbury

Dr Matt Hobbs

Contact

Department: Geospatial Research Institute

Email: matt.hobbs@canterbury.ac.nz

Phone: +64 3 369 3999 ext. 90198

Office:

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

Matthew is a postdoctoral researcher in the GeoHealth Laboratory (GeoSpatial Research Institute) at The University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

As an early career researcher, he recently completed his PhD for which he received a scholarship. His thesis explored the association between the physical food and physical activity environment and obesity. He has a MSc. Physical Activity and Public Health from Loughborough University and BA (Hons) Physical Education at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Most recently, he has been invited as part of the international advisory panel for Perspectives in Public Health a flagship journal of the Royal Society for Public Health (MRSPH). Matthew became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA & PGCHE), has studied and worked in Australia, at Loughborough University and also works as a health, physical activity and obesity consultant.

Subject Area: Disciplines

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

Resources

Twitter

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles

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.

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 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.

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

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

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.

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. 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.