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Dr Kate Prendergast

Contact

Department: School of Language, Social and Political Sciences

Email: kate.prendergast@canterbury.ac.nz

Direct Dial: +64 3 3690467

Office:

Language: English

About
Research / Creative works
Methods & Equipment

Fields of Research

  • Wellbeing
  • Sustainability
  • Social research
  • Health and lifestyle
  • Children and youth

Researcher Summary

Dr Kate Prendergast is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP), University of Surrey, UK.

Her inter-disciplinary research centres on understanding children and young people’s health and wellbeing in diverse urban environments. She currently works on the CYCLES (Children and Youth in Cities, Lifestyles Evaluation and Sustainability) project, which explores young people's lives in seven diverse cities across the globe. Cities include Christchurch, Dhaka, New Delhi, Lambeth, Makhanda, Sao Paulo, and Yokohama. The study is coordinated by Prof Bronwyn Hayward of the University of Canterbury and Dr Kate Prendergast, for the University of Surrey's ESRC funded CUSP: Centre for Understanding Sustainable Prosperity and involves partners from seven cities.

Kate's previous research work connects health, wellbeing, the built environment, active travel, physical activity, and nutrition. She was a lead researcher on the Sovereign Wellbeing Index; a longitudinal study investigating the wellbeing of 10,000 New Zealanders.

For her doctoral research, Kate integrated positive psychology and public health to explore an approach for promoting health and wellbeing beyond the absence of disease. Her research included quantitative studies, focus groups, and an intervention study.

Subject Area: Disciplines

  • Health and Health Sciences: Public Health; Wellbeing
  • Sociology, Social Policy, Social Work, Criminology and Gender Studies: Social Science; Sociology; Urban Studies
  • Resilience: Social: Health and Wellbeing; People and Community

Resources

  • LinkedIn

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles
  • Duncan S., Stewart T., McPhee J., Borotkanics R., Prendergast K., Zinn C., Meredith-Jones K., Taylor R., McLachlan C. and Schofield G. (2019) Efficacy of a compulsory homework programme for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition in children: A cluster randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 16(1) http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12966-019-0840-3.
  • Mackay L., Egli V., Booker LJ. and Prendergast K. (2019) New Zealand’s engagement with the Five Ways to Wellbeing: evidence from a large cross-sectional survey. Kotuitui 14(2): 230-244. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1177083X.2019.1603165.
  • Zinn C., McPhee J., Harris N., Williden M., Prendergast K. and Schofield G. (2017) A 12-week low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet improves metabolic health outcomes over a control diet in a randomised controlled trial with overweight defence force personnel. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism 42(11): 1158-1164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0260.
  • Duncan S., White K., Mavoa S., Stewart T., Hinckson E. and Schofield G. (2016) Active Transport, Physical Activity, and Distance Between Home and School in Children and Adolescents.. J Phys Act Health 13(4): 447-453. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2015-0054.
  • Oliver M., McPhee J., Carroll P., Ikeda E., Mavoa S., MacKay L., Kearns RA., Kyttä M., Asiasiga L. and Garrett N. (2016) Neighbourhoods for Active Kids: Study protocol for a cross-sectional examination of neighbourhood features and children's physical activity, active travel, independent mobility and body size. BMJ Open 6(8) http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013377.
  • Prendergast KB., Mackay LM. and Schofield GM. (2016) The Clustering of Lifestyle Behaviours in New Zealand and their Relationship with Optimal Wellbeing. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 23(5): 571-579. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12529-016-9552-0.
  • Prendergast KB., Schofield GM. and Mackay LM. (2016) Associations between lifestyle behaviours and optimal wellbeing in a diverse sample of New Zealand adults. BMC Public Health 16(1) http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-2755-0.
  • Duncan S., White K., Sa'ulilo L. and Schofield G. (2011) Convergent validity of a piezoelectric pedometer and an omnidirectional accelerometer for measuring children's physical activity.. Pediatr Exerc Sci 23(3): 399-410. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/pes.23.3.399.
  • White K., Schofield G. and Kilding AE. (2011) Energy expended by boys playing active video games.. J Sci Med Sport 14(2): 130-134. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2010.07.005.
Conference Contributions - Other
  • White K., Mackay L., Williden M., McPhee J., Jarden A. and Schofield G. (2013) New Zealanders' wellbeing: Does physical activity and nutrition play a part? Rotorua: 2013 Agencies for Nutrition Action: It starts with us, 8-9 May 2013.
Theses / Dissertations
  • Prendergast K. (2016) Toward a framework for positive health. Auckland. Auckland University of Technology.
  • White K. (2009) Energy expenditure and enjoyment of active video games vs. other activities in 10-12 year old boys. Auckland. Auckland University of Technology.
Reports
  • Mackay L., Schofield G., Jarden A. and Prendergast K. (2015) Sovereign Wellbeing Index: 2015. In Sovereign Wellbeing Index: 2015, Auckland University of Technology.
  • Mackay L., Prendergast K., Jarden A. and Schofield G. (2014) 2014 Sovereign Wellbeing Index mini report series: Report No.1 Wellbeing of New Zealanders in later life.Human Potential Centre. Commissioned by Sovereign.

Key Methodologies

  • Quantitative research
  • Survey methods
  • Qualitative research
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