Dr Wendy Huang

About

Dr Wendy Huang’s research areas are physical activity and sedentary behaviours for children, with a focus on understanding the correlates of these behaviours and how behavioural patterns affect health outcomes. During the last few years, she has expanded her research in preschool-aged children and investigation of movement behaviours in a 24-hour period. Seven external competitive grants have been successfully obtained, with three as Principal Investigator (PI) including one General Research Fund (GRF) and one Early Career Scheme (ECS). Her research applies a mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative) to examine behavioural patterns (for example, active travel or weekday-weekend variations), compliance with movement behaviour guidelines, and the perceptions of the guidelines among relevant stakeholders such as parents and teachers. 

Knowledge transfer is another integral part of her research programme. She has been instrumental in the development of Hong Kong’s Active Healthy Kids Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth (http://activehealthykidshongkong.com.hk/). Hong Kong Report Card is a member of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (https://www.activehealthykids.org/), a not-for-profit organisation consisting of approximately 50 countries and regions. The Report Card aims to translate research knowledge to drive social action for policy change relating to physical activity among children and youth. The first two Hong Kong Report Cards (2016 and 2018) have been widely disseminated in local communities, including the government, NGOs, health authorities, and primary and secondary schools. The findings have been frequently cited in local health authorities’ publications dedicated to promoting public awareness of health information. 

Dr Huang is also an Associate Editor of International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, one of the leading journals in the field.

Research Outputs

• Shi, Y., W. Y. Huang, C. H. Sit & S. H. Wong. “Compliance with 24-hour movement guidelines in Hong Kong adolescents: associations with weight status.” Journal of Physical Activity & Health 17.3 (2020): 287-292. DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2019-0230.
• Huang, W. Y. & E. Y. Lee. “Comparability of activPAL-based estimates of meeting physical activity guidelines for preschool children.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16 (2019): 5146. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16245146.
• Zheng, C., W. Y. Huang & S. H. Wong. “Associations of weather conditions with adolescents’ daily physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep duration.” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 44.2 (2019): 1339-1344.
• Sit, C. H. P., W. Y. Huang, J. Yu, T. L. McKenzie. “Accelerometer-assessed physical activity and sedentary time of children with disabilities: seasonal variation.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16 (2019): 3163. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16173163.
• Huang, W. Y. & S. H. S. Wong. “Prospective associations between weekend catch-up sleep, physical activity, and childhood obesity.” Childhood Obesity 15.1 (2019): 40-47.