Trish Tucker, PhD
Associate Director – Research, Professor and Faculty Scholar
Room 2547, EC519 661-2111 x88977
ttucker2@uwo.ca
Education
- BHSc, MA, PhD (深夜福利站)
Graduate Program Supervision
- Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Promotion Field |
- Kinesiology |
Research In Profile
With the goal of setting young children up on a healthy trajectory, professor Trish Tucker's lab is conducting research to measure, promote, and intervene to support physical activity participation among young children. Her team is specifically interested in the early years cohort, outdoor play, and the important role childcare settings play in shaping young children’s movement behaviours. They engage in community-based research in local childcare settings to generate evidence to support health promoting changes to their policies and practices. They work closely with early childhood educators and parents to create feasible and appropriate physical activity interventions.
Featured Publications and Projects
Books
- Tucker, P. (2009). Environmental Influences on Physical Activity Among Children and Youth. Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Publishers
Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals
- Bourke, M., Vanderloo, L. M., Irwin, J. D., Burke, S. M., Driediger, M., Timmons, B. W., & Tucker, P. (October 2022). Association Between Childcare Movement Behaviour Compositions with Health and Development among Preschoolers: Finding the Optimal Combinations of Physical Activities and Sedentary Time. Journal of Sports Sciences.
- Bruijns, B.A., Johnson, A.M., Burke, S.M., & Tucker, P. (April 2022). Educators’ Self-Efficacy to Promote Physical Activity and Outdoor Play and Minimize Sedentary Behaviour in Childcare: A Tool Validation Study. Journal of Research in Childhood Education. Published online ahead-of-print:
- Bruijns, B.A., Vanderloo, L.M., Johnson, A.M., Adamo, K.B., Burke, S.M., Carson, V., Heydon, R., Irwin, J.D., Naylor, P.J., Timmons, B.W., & Tucker, P. (March 2022). Implementation of an e-Learning Course in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour for Pre- and In-Service Early Childhood Educators: Evaluation of the TEACH Pilot Study. BMC Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8(64), 1-17.
- Szpunar, M., Johnson, A.M., Driediger, M., Burke, S.M., Irwin, J.D., Shelley, J., Timmons, B.W., Vanderloo, L.M. & Tucker, P. (March 2022). Implementation Adherence and Perspectives of the Childcare PhysicaL ActivitY (PLAY) Policy: A Process Evaluation. Health Education & Behavior, 49(1), 66-77.
- Bruijns, B.A., Vanderloo, L.M., Johnson, A.M., Adamo, K.B., Burke, S.M., Carson, V., Heydon, R., Irwin, J.D., Naylor, P.J., Timmons, B.W., & Tucker, P. (February 2022). Change in Pre- and In-Service Early Childhood Educators’ Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Intentions Following an e-Learning Course in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior: A Pilot Study. BMC Public Health, 22, 244.
- Statler, J., Wilk, P., Timmons, B.W., Colley, R., & Tucker, P. (December 2020). Habitual Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Time of Children in Different Childcare Arrangements from a Nationally Representative Sample of Canadian Preschoolers. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 9(6), 657-663.
- Truelove, S., Vanderloo, L.M., Tucker, P., Di Sebastiano, K.M., & Faulkner, G. (December 2020). The Use of the Behaviour Change Wheel in the Development of ParticipACTION’s Physical Activity App. Preventive Medicine Reports, 20, 101224.
- Bruijns, B.A., Johnson, A.M., & Tucker, P. (October 2020). Content Development for a Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour e-Learning Module for Early Childhood Education Students: A Delphi Study. BMC Public Health, 20, 1600.
- Bruijns, B.A., Truelove, S., Johnson, A.M., Gilliland, J., & Tucker, P. (February 2020). Infants’ and Toddlers’ Physical Activity and Sedentary Time as Measured by Accelerometry: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 17, 14.
Visit for a comprehensive list of publications.
Current Grants and Research Projects
- TEACH: The purpose of the Training EArly CHildhood educators in physical activity (TEACH) study is to develop and implement a physical activity and sedentary behaviour e-Learning training module for post-secondary Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs to better support students’ related learning.
- PLAY: Currently, formal written physical activity policy is lacking in Canadian childcare centres. The purpose of the PhysicaL ActivitY (PLAY) Policy pilot study was to explore the effects of implementing a written physical activity policy has on toddlers’ and preschoolers’ physical activity levels. This institutional level policy provides Early Childhood Educators with guidance on the appropriate daily physical activity, outdoor play, and (reduced) screen time affordances in childcare. Return to Play Post-COVID - The purpose of this study is to explore parents’ perspectives and intent (or not) to return their child(ren) to opportunities that support active play, following the pandemic.
Featured Graduate Student Projects
- Bruijins, Brianne (2021). PhD, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
- Szpunar, Monika (2020). MSc, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
- Vanderloo, Leigh (2016). PhD, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
- Ott, Emily (2017). MSc, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
- Truelove, Stephanie (2017). MSc, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Visit for a list of completed student theses and dissertations in the repository.
Graduate Student Opportunities
Additional Information
Academic Appointments and Research Affiliations
- Director, Child Health and Physical Activity Lab
- Scientist, Children’s Health Research Institute
- Associate Scientist, Lawson Health Research Institute
Online Media
Awards
- CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH), Post-doctoral and New Investigators Travel Award
- Early Researcher Award, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation (2016-2021)
- Petro Canada Young Innovator Award (2019)
- Post-Doctoral Supervisor of the Year (2019)
- Faculty Scholar (2020-2022)
- Outdoor Play Canada Research Award (2021)
Professional Activities
- Chair – Health Eating and Physical Activity Committee, Child & Youth Network
- Board of Directors - Kidzone Daycare (2012-2018)
- Research Advisory Committee, ParticiPACTION Report Card - Activities
- College of Reviewers, Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Activities
- Member – Sedentary Behaviour Research Network
- State of the Sector Consultation Group – Outdoor Play Canada