孫風華博士

設施
重點研究小組
研究焦點
概覽
周志清博士
周鴻奇教授
鍾明恩博士
梁家文博士
柯培麗博士
孫風華博士
謝采揚博士
研究項目
研究生
學生總整專案
修身・心康@EdUHK

Environmental Correlates of Health-related Behaviors in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The International Network for Physical Activity and Disability (INPAD) Autism Study

[Strategic Research Development Fund 2020/21, Department of Health and Physical Education, EdUHK]

Abstract:
It is well documented that regular participation in physical activity and sedentary behaviors (usually represented as screen time) are respectively leading to a host of positive and negative outcomes in children and adolescents with autism (ASD). Meanwhile growing attention has been paid to understand the environmental determinants, such as neighborhood environments, home environments of physical activity and screen time. Apart from that, the multi-etiological nature of health outcomes is increasingly recognized. For example, the 24-hour movement guidelines recommend certain amounts of time should be spent in physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and sleep for health promotion. Meeting the recommended guidelines has been found to predict physical and mental health. Evidence, however, is limited about whether meeting the guidelines is associated with health outcomes in individuals with ASD.

This research aims to investigate whether home and neighborhood environments would predict physical activity and screen time in adolescents with ASD across different countries. Also, whether meeting the 24-hours guidelines would predict bullying behaviors and overall health in the study groups will also be examined. The findings of the research are expected to provide valuable reference material in predicting the factors affecting the health of youth with ASD. They will also be helpful for educators and parents in formulating effective PE curriculum and/or PA related programmes for students with ASD.

Effect of Game-based High-Intensity Interval Training Program on the Executive Function of Children with ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

[General Research Fund 2020/21, Research Grants Council (RGC), Hong Kong SAR]

Abstract:
The Test of Gross Motor Development 2 (TGMD-2) is currently the standard approach for assessing fundamental movement skills (FMS), including locomotor and object control skills. However, its extensive application is restricted by its low efficiency and requirement of expert training for large-scale evaluations. This study evaluated the accuracy of a newly-developed video-based classification system (VCS) with a markerless sensor to assess children’s locomotor skills. A total of 203 typically developing children aged three to eight years executed six locomotor skills, following the TGMD-2 guidelines. A Kinect v2 sensor was used to capture their activities, and videos were recorded for further evaluation by a trained rater. A series of computational kinematic-based algorithms were developed for instant performance rating. The VCS exhibited moderate to very good levels of agreement with the rater, ranging from 66.1% to 87.5%, for each skill, and 72.4% for descriptive ratings. Paired t-test revealed that there were no significant differences, but a significant positive correlation, between the standard scores determined by the two approaches. Tukey's mean difference plot suggested there was no bias, with a mean difference (SD) of -0.16 (1.8) and a respective 95% confidence interval of 3.5. The kappa agreement for the descriptive ratings between the two approaches was found to be moderate (k = 0.54, p < 0.01). Overall, the results suggest the VCS could potentially be an alternative to the conventional TGMD-2 assessment approach for assessing children’s locomotor skills without the necessity of the presence of an experienced rater for the administration.

Acute Effect of Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention for Athletes’ Recovery- a fNIRS Investigation

[Dean’s Research Fund 2019/20, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, EdUHK]

Abstract:

The proper recovery strategies adopted in half-time could help players get rid of their cognitive needs and re-fuel their physical strength. The current study investigated the acute effect of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on athletes’ cognitive function after a 45-min lab-based soccer protocol. In a single-blinded randomized crossover design, seventeen male student-athletes completed two main trials, i.e., MBI trial or control trial. In MBI trial, a brief MBI audio was provided after the exercise protocol, while in the control trial, a travel audio was used after the exercise. In each main trial, cognitive function, salivary cortisol, blood lactate, and several subjective indicators were measured at baseline and posttest. The cerebral oxygenation status was recorded via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during the cognitive function test. Preliminary results revealed that adopting brief MBI after the exercise could benefit working memory performance in both reaction time and accuracy context, accompanied by the changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (O2Hb) concentration on specific brain areas. In addition, lower mental fatigue and salivary cortisol concentration were observed in MBI group than control group after the intervention. In conclusion, MBI may provide acute beneficial effects on cognitive function after the intervention, independent of cerebral oxygenation.

A Comparison of the Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, Cognitive Function and Cardiometabolic Health of Young People in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom

[Seed Money for External Grant Pilot Proposal 2017/18, Department of Health and Physical Education, EdUHK]

The current literature demonstrates that physical activity and physical fitness levels are extremely low around the World and as a result of this young people may be compromising both their cognitive function and cardiometabolic health. However, the majority of the work focuses on either measuring physical activity in isolation or using cardiorespiratory fitness as a surrogate measure. A further advancement in this area of work would be to objectively measure physical activity, whilst also assessing cardiorespiratory fitness and to identify how these associates with markers of cognitive function and cardiometabolic health in different international samples. In addition, the common trend of decreasing physical activity with increasing age warrants further exploration and the relationship this has with cognitive function and cardiometabolic health is currently unknown. In the recent Global Matrix for Physical Activity and Health in Youth, both England and Hong Kong scored poor overall composite scores (20–39%), but a direct detailed comparison between young people in these countries has not been performed.

Therefore, the aims of this project were to address a number of novel and impactful research questions, as follows:

Are there differences in physical activity, physical fitness, cognitive function and cardiometabolic health between young people in HK and UK?
Do physical activity, physical fitness, cognitive function and cardiometabolic health differ between 11-12 and 14-15 years old?
How do physical activity and physical fitness affect cognitive function in young people?

Reliability and Validity of the Modified Chinese Version of the Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire for Young Children (NPAQ) in Assessing Physical Activity Behaviors in Preschool Children in Hong Kong

[Dean’s Research Fund - Individual Research Scheme (IRS) 2017/18, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, EdUHK]

Physical activity (PA) plays an important role on health management during childhood and in the whole life cycle. Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire (NPAQ) has been widely used in western countries in assessing PA behaviors of preschool children. However, it seems that there is no Chinese version of NPAQ, and the validity and reliability of NPAQ among Chinese population are still questionable. This project aims to develop a Chinese version of NPAQ in assessing PA behaviors in preschool children in Hong Kong.

Totally 137 preschool children participated in the study. Data collection included measuring PA subjectively via NPAQ and objectively via accelerometer. The study found that boys spent more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than girls. The total score of NPAQ was positively correlated with children’s time spent in MVPA. Item 1 of the NPAQ refers to “my child prefers to play alone or play with other children,” was found to be significantly associated with MVPA at the weekend in boys. Item 7 of the NAPQ refers to “comparing to other peers, my child performs more physical activity,” was found to be positively correlated with children’s time spent in MVPA. For item 8, time spent in watching television was found to be positively correlated with children’s time participated in sedentary activity.

Dr SUN Fenghua Bob

Environmental Correlates of Health-related Behaviors in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The International Network for Physical Activity and Disability (INPAD) Autism Study

Effect of Game-based High-Intensity Interval Training Program on the Executive Function of Children with ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Acute Effect of Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention for Athletes’ Recovery- a fNIRS Investigation

Completed Projects since 2019

A Comparison of the Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, Cognitive Function and Cardiometabolic Health of Young People in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom

Reliability and Validity of the Modified Chinese Version of the Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire for Young Children (NPAQ) in Assessing Physical Activity Behaviors in Preschool Children in Hong Kong

謝采揚博士

梁家文博士

周志清博士

鄭相德教授

周鴻奇教授

鍾明恩博士

柯培麗博士

王靈宇博士

黃茗瑜博士

鄭晨博士

甘偉強博士

陳靖逸先生

郭寶萍女士

雷雄德博士, MH

何亦橋先生

王莎女士

黃凱偉博士

陳枷彣女士

邵嘉文先生

Dr LI Chung

Ms CHING Tai Yin Patricia

Dr CHOW Pui Yu Lina

Dr CRUZ Alberto