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As natural environments have been identified as places for mental restoration and social development there is the potential to address a number of bio-psychosocial health inequalities by encouraging urban park use. The current research explores the link between people and nature within the urban context of Liverpool across 3 phases of research. The reconnaissance phase explored health inequalities, physical activity levels and park access in Liverpool. Analysis showed that Liverpool is one of the most socially and economically deprived areas within England, with less than 70% of the survey population not meeting recommended physical activity levels. Although Liverpool has an abundance of parks and urban green spaces, the high health inequalities and lack of physical activity correlation with environment features suggests residents might not access parks and urban green spaces for health benefits. The exploratory study adopted a multi-method approach to investigate bio-psychosocial responses to urban city and park environments. Using repeated measures, 18 participants walked on a treadmill for 20 minutes whilst viewing and listening to either a Liverpool urban park or city centre scene. A two-way ANOVA was conducted to compare means between data collection time points within each condition for heart rate and blood pressure. Analysis for mean arterial pressure found a significant reduction for the park condition post physical activity [F(2,18) 6.83, p=.02] with the same effect on systolic blood . pressure [F(2, 18)=8.61, p=.OO] in comparison to the city scene. Semi-structured interviews conducted after testing found that cultural and social experiences influenced how participants interact with the urban environment. In particular, opportunities to access parks and natural environments during childhood was attributed to a lifespan connection. Participants reported psychological benefits of stress reduction and attention restoration and social benefits including providing a place for family and friend interaction in a park setting. Social barriers included fear from crime and harassment from teenagers. While the city was associated with traffic, congestion and noise that could evoke negative emotions, the history and diversity of Liverpool aroused pride and enjoyment that could also promote psychosocial benefits. The intervention study adopted ethnographic principles to explore cultural and individual beliefs of a group of eleven teenagers engaged in a park based physical activity programme. Observations during the programme indicated that the practitioner's role and skill base was paramount to park and activity engagement. Changes to participants across the programme impacted negatively on group dynamics, with external pressures from family and friends contributing to low attendance rates, poor time keeping and low concentration during activities. The social intervention highlighted the need to fully engage participants in the planning process and provide an agreed structure and policy for behaviour. The research highlighted a number of organisational, cultural and social issues that need to be tackled before benefits from green spaces can be fully realised. Overall research findings suggest that potential bio-psychosocial benefits of physical activity in parks and urban green spaces may be influenced by complex social issues surrounding values, culture and tradition. Further investigation into the interrelationships between neighbourhood residents, parks and urban green spaces, activities of users, and potential restorative effects could provide beneficial insights for policy makers and practitioners who would look to use these spaces for bio-psychosocial wellbeing.

The circadian cycle, although seasonally adjusted, consists of two phases: a nocturnal period of darkness and a diurnal period of light. Many parameters of human physiology display either a nocturnal or diurnal peak as seen in athletic performance, immune, endocrine, physiology and cognitive function, respectively. The studies included in this thesis focused on the diurnal (morning or AM versus evening or PM) effect of high-intensity self-paced exercise on physiological and immunological measures and the influence of individual preference for activity or chronotype on these responses. Self-paced time-trials were completed in an environmental chamber (6°C) in the AM and PM and displayed a similar effect on physiological and biological parameters. Performance times were non-statistically quicker (P > 0.05) at PM. Physiological parameters heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, lung function and self-paced treadmill speed were not found to be statistically different at AM or PM trial (p > 0.05). Core body temperature (CBT), was significantly higher (p0.05). CD8+ T-lymphocyte cell-surface markers for naïve/senescence and differentiation (CD27CD45RA and CD27CD28) reported no diurnal difference between AM and PM exercise in experienced and experienced/recreational distance runners respectively (P > 0.05). However, a higher percentage of highly differentiated phenotypes were found in the recreationally active population. Neutrophils displayed a pronounced elevation in response to PM exercise with the mechanism driving this response unclear at this time. Cortisol concentration displayed less inflammatory responses in the morning compared to the evening with higher values pre, post and one-hour post AM trials. Chronotype showed no effect on physiology or biology at rest or in response to exercise. Chapter 4 presents data from a study that investigated diurnal physiology and immune response to high-intensity exercise in highly-trained men. Recreational and experienced endurance male runners at differing diurnal time-points were investigated in Chapter 5, while individual chronotype differences and circadian phase responses were explored in Chapter 6.In summary, it is concluded from this work that there was a lack of evidence showing a diurnal effect on running performance and subsequent immune response. Elevated circulating immune counts prior to exercise, irrespective of diurnal phase, appear to govern exercise-induced responses. The effect of high intensity exercise is subject to three distinct variables: the fitness status and experience of the individual completing the exercise, the time of day at which the exercise is undertaken, and the phase response of exercise at that point of the circadian cycle. No diurnal phase mediated a divergent effect on variables examined was observed at 09.00hrs and 17.00hrs. These time-points should be considered not sufficiently dissimilar to elucidate diurnal variation in trained and healthy males.

In recent times, the sports sector across the globe has attracted economic interests both from the public and the private sector. For example, the cost of hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil was estimated at over $14.5 billion, with huge investments made intorenovating old stadia and building new ones in preparation for the games. Similarly, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow generated over 5,000 jobs and apprenticeships for the locals, £200m worth of contracts to local firms, £198m investments in sporting facilities, and £700m worth of transport-related infrastructural development. It is thus clear that sport hasassumed more relevance in society than merely serving the purpose of recreation and leisure such that stakeholders now commit resources into sport performance improvement. Consequently, countries (particularly, those in Europe, Australia and North America) consider the sports sector among the key factors of social and economic development. Given the considerably large youthful population of Nigeria, it is possible to take advantage of sports to advance social and economic wellbeing of the people. It is however regrettable that the Nigerian government does not appear to have realised the potentialopportunities a robust sports economy could provide for a nation in the quest for social, political and economic development. The opportunities provided by sports for social and economic growth will not be fully grasped unless efforts are made to create effective talent development frameworks; unfortunately, anecdotally at least, the reality on the ground suggests that the contrary is the case in Nigeria. Previous research investigating the process of talent identification and development has highlighted a number of features of effective talent development environments. Research informing these guidelines and principles comes from a variety of research activity including understanding the nature of the talent development pathway, the characteristics of successful and developing athletes, the features of effective coaching and support environments, factorsof effective talent transfer, and effective talent development policies. However, it is important to note, that the current TID literature is based predominantly on European, Australian and North American studies. This is particularly important given that there is strong evidence to suggest that TID is culturally and context specific. Certainly the specific context must be taken into consideration when transferring and/or using recommendations (either research orapplied) from one context to another. Since there has been very little work carried out within a Nigerian context, this thesis aims to take a broad examination of the nature of talent identification and development processes within a Nigerian context. This is with the aim of understanding potential barriers to TID and facilitating effective practice to aid successful talent development within Nigeria To address these objectives, three studies were carried out. First, a literature review examined the relevant TID literature in relation to the specific context of TID in Nigeria, taking into account the role(s) of important stakeholders (i.e. coach, parents, teacher, siblings,and peers). Based on the lack of evidence from the Nigerian environment and the exploratory nature of this thesis, three qualitative studies were designed and implemented to examine a broad, in-depth perspective of the nature of athlete and sports development in Nigeria. These three studies included the elite athletes' perspectives of the nature of talent identification and development, the elite coaches' perspectives and finally the community stakeholders' perspectives. A total of 21 participants (i.e. 8 elite athletes, 7 coaches and 6 community stakeholders) were purposefully sampled and interviewed to provide triangulated, and informed perspectives on the specific nature of TID in Nigeria. The data revealed a number of challenges to effective TID in Nigeria including, lack of policy implementation, corruption, poverty, and family resistance, as well as poor infrastructure for sports development. Furthermore, luck played a large role in successfuldevelopment, especially due to the ad hoc nature of access to coaching and supportive people in the community (e.g. head teachers). Interestingly, in case successful development, theextremely challenging circumstances faced by athletes attempting to develop their sporting potentials acted as a mechanism to develop their mental resilience and independence, which facilitated success. Furthermore, findings suggest that widespread cultural practice through early years (e.g. festivals, physical labour) developed a general physicality among Nigerian children, which could serve as bedrock of TID, if the other talent development environmentswere put right.

Aim: The aim of this thesis was to investigate the psychophysiological response to the dynamic working environment within a cohort of higher education employees via ambulatory assessment of psychosocial and physiological measures. Methods: Data was collected from two observational studies. Study one employed a cross-sectional design to investigate relationships between work-related psychosocial hazard, work-time heart rate variability, blood pressure, and the cortisol awakening response. Consideration was given to occupation type and acute work-related demand. Study two, a single-subject case study, employed an experience sampling methodology to peform a 24 hour assessment over 21 days. Workload, affect and demand were sampled during working hours, while heart rate variability and physical activity were continually sampled (24 hours), with salivary cortisol, being sampled at 3 time points during the awakening period. This study also investigated some of the methodological issues associated with ambulatory assessment of both heart rate variability and the cortisol awakening response. Findings: Chronic work-related demand was found to be positively associated with sympathetic dominance of the autonomic nervous system. Acute work-related demand was associated with ambulatory heart rate variability during work time and evening time whilst the rise in salivary free cortisol over the immediate post awakening period varies according to acute anticipatory demand and prior day's workload. Substantial intra--individual variation in both the cortisol awakening response and ambulatory heart variability was found to occur across work-days. Work time activity levels accounted for little of the variation in ambulatory heart rate variability and blood pressure. The cortisol awakening response was associated with both heart rate variability and nocturnal movement in the latter stage of sleep. Conclusion: Attending to the psychophysiological response to work at the individual level by means of ambulatory assessment appears to provide a useful means of assessing the balance between employee and environment. This could have significant implications for work design, employee selection and targeting of workplace interventions.

Childhood obesity in the UK is a serious public health concern. In some ethnic minority groups obesity prevalence is significantly higher than the national average (The NHS Information Centre, 2010). Therefore, it is recommended that interventions to manage childhood obesity are tailored to the needs of ethnic minority groups (NICE, 2006). GOALS (Getting Our Active Lifestyles Started!) is a community based, childhood obesity management programme that focuses upon physical activity, nutrition and behaviour change in families (Watson et aI., 2011). However, monitoring data has suggested an unrepresentatively low proportion of ethnic minority families who are referred to GOALS choose to access the service. Therefore the aim of this research was to improve the cultural relevance of the GOALS programme, whilst also contributing to the evidence-base for local and national strategic planning surrounding obesity and ethnicity. Studies set out to explore perceptions surrounding childhood weight, diet and physical activity in different ethnic groups; identify cultural preferences, and barriers to participation in healthy lifestyle interventions; to implement and pilot a culturally accessible intervention, using the GOALS framework for development; and to assess the acceptability and effectiveness of the pilot intervention. A multi-method, pluralistic, research design was employed that recognised the complexity of the research aims. In total three empirical studies were conducted, and parents (of children aged 4 to 16 years) and school-aged children participated. A combination of process and outcome data was obtained. Quantitative methods were used for descriptive and explanatory purposes and included questionnaire (Study 1,2 and 3b) and BMI measures (Study 3b). Qualitative methods included focus groups (Study 2 and 3a), face-to-face interviews (Study 3b) and the write-and draw-technique (Study 3b). Exploratory data gave context and depth to the research. In Study 1, parents (n=808) identified their ethnic background as Asian British, Black African, Black Somali, Chinese, South Asian, White British and Yemeni. Ethnic background was significantly associated to parental perceptions of weight in childhood. Results showed Black Somali parents exhibited the lowest level of concern for overweight in childhood in comparison to other ethnic groups. In Study 2, parents (n=36) and children (n=31) from six ethnic groups (Asian Bangladeshi, Black African, Black Somali, Chinese, White British and Yemeni) identified intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental barriers to healthy weight. Findings demonstrated that influences to health behaviours were sometimes specific to particular ethnic groups. For example, dominant cultural norms valuing overweight in childhood were apparent among Yemeni, Black African, Black Somali and Asian Bangladeshi parents and Asian Bangladeshi children. Results from Study 3a with parents (n=33) from ethnically diverse backgrounds, identified barriers and preferences to attending an intervention were often related to cultural and religious values of ethnic groups. Parents considered the ethnic composition of the group important, and suggested an intervention should be relevant to the ethnic background of all families attending. Based on these findings, 'surface' and 'deep' (Reniscow et al., 1999) structural modifications were made to the GOALS programme. Nine families from Asian British, Asian Bangladeshi, Yemeni and Black Somali backgrounds attended the pilot intervention to examine its appropriateness. Process and outcome data from Study 3b illustrated families benefited from a healthy lifestyles intervention that was designed to be culturally acceptable to multiple ethnic groups. This thesis has added to the limited evidence base surrounding the cultural relevance of family-based childhood obesity management programmes for ethnic minority groups. Differences in cultural norms between ethnic populations, and variations in assimilation to Western norms and acculturation within groups, highlight the complex task in addressing childhood obesity in multiple ethnic groups. Knowledge gained from the successful engagement of ethnic minority families in a culturally sensitive healthy lifestyle intervention, has lead to the development of key recommendations for policy and practice that extend beyond childhood obesity management to health promotion more widely.

A large proportion of UK children do not meet the recommended guidelines for participation in physical activity, which is a public health concern as the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is rising. Increasing perceptions of competence and levels of fundamental movement skill proficiency are potential strategies to promote physical activity. The aims of this thesis were to, a) investigate the prevalence of skill proficiency and levels of perceived physical competence in UK children, b) examine the relationships between fundamental movement skill competence and physical self-perceptions with children's physical activity, fitness and body fatness, and c) determine the effectiveness of non-curricular interventions to increase fundamental movement skills and enhance perceptions of competence. The first stage of research presented is the cross-sectional study of 152 children (41% boys; Age mean 9.7?0.3 years), which were recruited from 8 primary schools. Children completed the Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile (CYPSPP) and were assessed on 8 skills using video-analysis and process measures. In addition, cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured during a treadmill protocol to exhaustion; body fat (%) was determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; and physical activity was assessed by accelerometers over 7 days. The results revealed that children generally had positive perceptions of their physical self. However, levels of physical self-perceptions did not significantly predict physical activity behaviour. Perceptions of physical condition and physical strength were weak predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness and percent body fat, collectively explaining 7% and 7.8% of variance. Children's perceptions of competence were not related to their actual competence levels. Prevalence of proficiency in fundamental movement skills was low-to-moderate in boys and low in girls. Chi-square tests revealed a significantly (P < 0.01) higher proportion of boys were rated as proficient than girls in the kick (x = 37.4), catch (x = 25.3), strike (x = 28.4) and throw (x = 44.1). Total skill score significantly (P < 0.01) accounted for 11% and 9.2% of the variance in physical activity and percent total body fat, respectively. Locomotor skills significantly (P<0.01) predicted 7.7% of unique variance in moderate-to vigorous physical activity, 5.6% of total physical activity, 13.4% of cardiorespiratory fitness, and 23.7% of variance in percent body fat. Object-control skills weakly predicted total body fat (2%; P=0.04) but did not account for variance in other outcomes. This study highlighted the importance of fundamental movement skills to children's health and identified the need for interventions to enhance skill competence in older children. The next stage of research sought to determine the efficacy of interventions to increase skill competence and physical self-perceptions. An exploratory study examined the effects of a 9 week afterschool multi-skills club on skill proficiency, physical self-perceptions and body mass index (BMI) in 8-9 year old children. Two schools were randomly assigned to either a comparison (n = 15) or multi-skill club (n = 19) group. The multi-skill club received 18 coaching sessions designed to improve movement skills, while the comparison group followed normal routines. Children completed the CY-PSPP and assessments of seven movement skills, and were measured for stature and mass to calculate BMI. It was found that children in the multi-skill club had higher BMI (P<0.05) and possibly lower perceptions of body attractiveness and physical condition than children in the comparison group at post-test. Participation in the multi-skill club delivered significant (P<0.01) improvements in proficiency at post-test in static balance, whilst potentially practically important improvements were observed in performance of the catch, throw and kick skills. It was concluded that an afterschool multi-skill club offers a viable opportunity for movement skill acquisition, but any such programme would need to run for a longer duration to identify if this type of activity could benefit all skills. The final study was unique in that it was the first study to assess the impact of three different 12 month interventions on children's skill levels and perceived physical competence. One hundred and fifty-two 9-10 year old children were randomised by school to one of four conditions: a bi-weekly high-intensity physical activity afterschool club (HIPA; n=36); a bi-weekly multi-skill (fundamental movement skill) after-school club (FMS; n=37); a behaviour-modification programme (PASS; n=45); or a control-comparison (CON; n=34). Outcome measures, as employed within the cross-sectional study, were assessed at baseline, 9- and 12 months. It was found that participation in the FMS group was associated with moderate positive intervention effects on skill competence and increased the likelihood of attaining proficiency at post-test skill in 7 out of 8 skills. Participation in HIPA was associated with a small positive intervention effect on locomotor skill competence, and increased likelihood of proficiency in 5 skills, while PASS had no effect on skill competence but did increase the likelihood of attaining proficiency in 3 skills. In boys, participation in FMS and HIPA were associated with higher perceptions of sports competence, condition, and physical self-worth; HIPA elevated perceptions of strength, and, FMS increased perceived body attractiveness. PASS was associated with more positive perceptions of sports competence and body attractiveness at 9- but not 12-months. In girls, there were no positive intervention effects on CY-PSPP subscales, whilst all interventions were associated with more negative perceptions of body attractiveness. No group differences were found for body fat or physical activity, which increased from baseline to mid-test but fell sharply at post test in all conditions. Boys in HIPA improved fitness levels relative to controls, whilst girls participating in the FMS and PASS groups had lower fitness at post-test. It was concluded that multi-skill afterschool clubs are most effective at improving fundamental movement skills. Afterschool clubs may provide a means to augment boys' perceptions of competence, irrespective of activity mode; however, after-school clubs do not appear to enhance physical self-perceptions in girls. Behaviour-modification programmes appear least effective at improving actual and perceived competence, but a combined structured exercise and behaviour modification programme may be necessary to improve health outcomes. A subsequent follow-up study is required to assess long term impact of the interventions. The studies within this thesis have provided a detailed insight into the effects of different interventions on children's actual and perceived competence. To summarise, it was found that many children are not proficient at fundamental movement skills, which is important given their associations with important health outcomes. A multi-skill club programme can best impact such skills, whilst other forms of physical activity can also promote skill development. Perceptions of physical competence do not appear to have strong associations with children's health at this age. The influences of interventions on perceptions of competence appear complex and gender differences suggest that different forms of interventions may be necessary for girls.