Dr Arlene McGarty

  • Research Fellow (Mental Health & Wellbeing)

email: Arlene.McGarty@glasgow.ac.uk

Mental Health & Wellbeing, School of Health and Wellbeing, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TB

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4937-0574

Biography

I currently work as a Research Fellow within the School of Health and Wellbeing. I am involved in various collaborative projects relating to the health and lifestyle behaviours (e.g. physical activity and sedentary behaviour) of children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

I graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a BA (Hons) in Sport and Physical Activity in 2012 before completing a PhD at the University of Glasgow (2012-2015).  My PhD research focussed on the measurement of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children with intellectual disabilities, specifically investigating the use and validity of accelerometers. I also completed an MSc in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology (Staffordshire University, 2017).

Prior to my current role, I worked as a Research Assistant within Mental Health and Wellbeing (School of Health and Wellbeing) from 2016 to 2018 on a project focussed on understanding parental perceptions of facilitators and barriers to physical activity for children with intellectual disabilities. From 2018-2019, I worked as a Research Associate at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (School of Health and Wellbeing) on a process evaluation of the NHS-based Osteoarthritis Preoperative Package for care of Orthotics, Rehabilitation, Topical and oral agent Usage and Nutrition to Improve ouTcomes at a Year (OPPORTUNITY) trial.

Research interests

My research interests broadly encompass all aspects of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adults with intellectual disabilities, including:

  • Active play
  • Accelerometer calibration and validation
  • School-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour
  • Facilitators and barriers to physical activity 
  • Energy expenditure
  • Health inequalities
  • Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
Number of items: 25.

2025

Rana, D. et al. (2025) Understanding the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of lifestyle modification interventions in adults with learning disabilities: a mixed-methods systematic review. Health Technology Assessment, 29(4), (doi: 10.3310/BSTG4556) (PMID:40025754)

2024

Westrop, S. C., Maenhout, L., Melville, C. A. and Mcgarty, A. M. (2024) Understanding capabilities, opportunities, and motivations to engage in physical activity for adults with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative evidence synthesis. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37(6), e13258. (doi: 10.1111/jar.13258) (PMID:39198027)

McGarty, A.M. , Penpraze, V., Dall, P.M., Haig, C. , Harris, L. and Melville, C.A. (2024) Feasibility of a laboratory-based protocol for measuring energy expenditure and accelerometer calibration in adults with intellectual disabilities. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 10, 94. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-024-01512-5) (PMID:38909244) (PMCID:PMC11193167)

Rana, D. et al. (2024) Lifestyle modification interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities: systematic review and meta-analysis at intervention and component levels. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 68(5), pp. 387-445. (doi: 10.1111/jir.13098) (PMID:38414293)

Simpson, A. H. R.W. et al. (2024) A preoperative package of care for osteoarthritis, consisting of weight loss, orthotics, rehabilitation, topical and oral analgesia (OPPORTUNITY): A two centre open label randomised controlled feasibility trial. Lancet Rheumatology, 6(4), E237-E246. (doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00337-5) (PMID:38423028)

Westrop, S. C., Rana, D. , Jaiswal, N. , Wu, O. , Mcgarty, A. M. , Melville, C. , Ells, L., Lally, P., McEwan, M. and Germeni, E. (2024) Supporting active engagement of adults with intellectual disabilities in lifestyle modification interventions: A realist evidence synthesis of what works, for whom, in what context and why. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 68(4), pp. 293-316. (doi: 10.1111/jir.13120) (PMID:38379511)

2023

Chusamer, K., Melville, C. A. and Mcgarty, A. M. (2023) Individual, interpersonal, and environmental correlates of sedentary behaviours in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 67(12), pp. 1237-1248. (doi: 10.1111/jir.13014) (PMID:36751007)

Taylor, S. L., Downs, S. J., Rudd, J. R., McGrane, B., Melville, C. A. , Mcgarty, A. M. , Boddy, L. M. and Foweather, L. (2023) Associations between motor competence and physical activity levels of children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder: movement matters. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, (doi: 10.1177/17446295231203764) (PMID:37729890) (Early Online Publication)

Almesbehi, T., Harris, L., McGarty, A. , Alqallaf, S., Westrop, S., Edwards, C. A. , Dorling, J. A. and Malkova, D. (2023) Effects of exercise training programmes on fasting gastrointestinal appetite hormones in adults with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Appetite, 182, 106424. (doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106424) (PMID:36565928)

2021

Mcgarty, A. , McDaid, L. , Flowers, P. , Riddell, J. , Pachankis, J. and Frankis, J. (2021) Mental health, potential minority stressors and resilience: evidence from a cross-sectional survey of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men within the Celtic nations. BMC Public Health, 21, 2024. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-12030-x) (PMID:34742262) (PMCID:PMC8572060)

Truesdale, M. et al. (2021) Respiratory-associated deaths in people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 11(7), e043658. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043658) (PMID:34261677)

Sutherland, L., McGarty, A.M. , Melville, C.A. and Hughes-McCormack, L.A. (2021) Correlates of physical activity in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 65(5), pp. 405-436. (doi: 10.1111/jir.12811) (PMID:33590605)

Mcgarty, A. , Jones, N., Rutherford, K., Westrop, S., Sutherland, L., Jahoda, A. and Melville, C. (2021) Feasibility of the Go2Play Active Play intervention for increasing physical and social development in children with intellectual disabilities. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 7, 43. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-021-00783-6) (PMID:33546765) (PMCID:PMC7863425)

McGarty, A. M. , Westrop, S. C. and Melville, C. A. (2021) Exploring parents' experiences of promoting physical activity for their child with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 34(1), pp. 140-148. (doi: 10.1111/jar.12793) (PMID:32776494)

Rana, D. , Westrop, S., Germeni, E. , Mcgarty, A. , Ells, L., Lally, P., McEwan, M., Melville, C. , Harris, L. and Wu, O. (2021) Understanding the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of lifestyle modification interventions in adults with learning disabilities: Protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 10, 251. (doi: 10.1186/s13643-021-01808-0) (PMID:34544482) (PMCID:PMC8453997)

2019

Harris, L., Mcgarty, A. M. , Hilgenkamp, T., Mitchell, F. and Melville, C. A. (2019) Patterns of objectively measured sedentary behaviour in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 32(6), pp. 1428-1436. (doi: 10.1111/jar.12633) (PMID:31192528)

Westrop, S. C., Melville, C. A. , Muirhead, F. and Mcgarty, A. (2019) Gender differences in physical activity and sedentary behaviour in adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 32(6), pp. 1359-1374. (doi: 10.1111/jar.12648)

2018

McGarty, A.M. , Downs, S.J., Melville, C.A. and Harris, L. (2018) A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to increase physical activity in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(4), pp. 312-329. (doi: 10.1111/jir.12467) (PMID:29277930)

Harris, L., Mcgarty, A. M. , Hilgenkamp, T., Mitchell, F. and Melville, C. A. (2018) Correlates of objectively measured sedentary time in adults with intellectual disabilities. Preventive Medicine Reports, 9, pp. 12-17. (doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.11.010) (PMID:29255667) (PMCID:PMC5725213)

McGarty, A. M. and Melville, C. A. (2018) Parental perceptions of facilitators and barriers to physical activity for children with intellectual disabilities: A mixed methods systematic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 73, pp. 40-57. (doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.12.007) (PMID:29248807)

Harris, L., McGarty, A. , Hutchison, L., Ellis, L. and Hankey, C. (2018) Short-term intermittent energy restriction interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 19(1), pp. 1-13. (doi: 10.1111/obr.12593) (PMID:28975722)

Melville, C.A. , McGarty, A. , Harris, L., Hughes-Mccormack, L., Baltzer, M. , McArthur, L., Morrison, J. , Allan, L. and Cooper, S.-A. (2018) A population-based, cross-sectional study of the prevalence and correlates of sedentary behaviour of adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(1), pp. 60-71. (doi: 10.1111/jir.12454) (PMID:29214701)

2016

McGarty, A. , Penpraze, V. and Melville, C. (2016) Calibration and cross-validation of the ActiGraph wGT3X+ accelerometer for the estimation of physical activity intensity in children with intellectual disabilities. PLoS ONE, 11(10), e0164928. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164928) (PMID:27760219) (PMCID:PMC5070820)

2015

Mcgarty, A. M. , Penpraze, V. and Melville, C. A. (2015) Feasibility of a laboratory-based accelerometer calibration protocol for children with intellectual disabilities. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 1, 18. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-015-0014-2)

2014

Mcgarty, A. M. , Penpraze, V. and Melville, C. A. (2014) Accelerometer use during field-based physical activity research in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35(5), pp. 973-981. (doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.02.009) (PMID:24629542)

This list was generated on Tue Apr 22 01:02:36 2025 BST.
Jump to: Articles
Number of items: 25.

Articles

Rana, D. et al. (2025) Understanding the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of lifestyle modification interventions in adults with learning disabilities: a mixed-methods systematic review. Health Technology Assessment, 29(4), (doi: 10.3310/BSTG4556) (PMID:40025754)

Westrop, S. C., Maenhout, L., Melville, C. A. and Mcgarty, A. M. (2024) Understanding capabilities, opportunities, and motivations to engage in physical activity for adults with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative evidence synthesis. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37(6), e13258. (doi: 10.1111/jar.13258) (PMID:39198027)

McGarty, A.M. , Penpraze, V., Dall, P.M., Haig, C. , Harris, L. and Melville, C.A. (2024) Feasibility of a laboratory-based protocol for measuring energy expenditure and accelerometer calibration in adults with intellectual disabilities. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 10, 94. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-024-01512-5) (PMID:38909244) (PMCID:PMC11193167)

Rana, D. et al. (2024) Lifestyle modification interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities: systematic review and meta-analysis at intervention and component levels. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 68(5), pp. 387-445. (doi: 10.1111/jir.13098) (PMID:38414293)

Simpson, A. H. R.W. et al. (2024) A preoperative package of care for osteoarthritis, consisting of weight loss, orthotics, rehabilitation, topical and oral analgesia (OPPORTUNITY): A two centre open label randomised controlled feasibility trial. Lancet Rheumatology, 6(4), E237-E246. (doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00337-5) (PMID:38423028)

Westrop, S. C., Rana, D. , Jaiswal, N. , Wu, O. , Mcgarty, A. M. , Melville, C. , Ells, L., Lally, P., McEwan, M. and Germeni, E. (2024) Supporting active engagement of adults with intellectual disabilities in lifestyle modification interventions: A realist evidence synthesis of what works, for whom, in what context and why. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 68(4), pp. 293-316. (doi: 10.1111/jir.13120) (PMID:38379511)

Chusamer, K., Melville, C. A. and Mcgarty, A. M. (2023) Individual, interpersonal, and environmental correlates of sedentary behaviours in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 67(12), pp. 1237-1248. (doi: 10.1111/jir.13014) (PMID:36751007)

Taylor, S. L., Downs, S. J., Rudd, J. R., McGrane, B., Melville, C. A. , Mcgarty, A. M. , Boddy, L. M. and Foweather, L. (2023) Associations between motor competence and physical activity levels of children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder: movement matters. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, (doi: 10.1177/17446295231203764) (PMID:37729890) (Early Online Publication)

Almesbehi, T., Harris, L., McGarty, A. , Alqallaf, S., Westrop, S., Edwards, C. A. , Dorling, J. A. and Malkova, D. (2023) Effects of exercise training programmes on fasting gastrointestinal appetite hormones in adults with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Appetite, 182, 106424. (doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106424) (PMID:36565928)

Mcgarty, A. , McDaid, L. , Flowers, P. , Riddell, J. , Pachankis, J. and Frankis, J. (2021) Mental health, potential minority stressors and resilience: evidence from a cross-sectional survey of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men within the Celtic nations. BMC Public Health, 21, 2024. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-12030-x) (PMID:34742262) (PMCID:PMC8572060)

Truesdale, M. et al. (2021) Respiratory-associated deaths in people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 11(7), e043658. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043658) (PMID:34261677)

Sutherland, L., McGarty, A.M. , Melville, C.A. and Hughes-McCormack, L.A. (2021) Correlates of physical activity in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 65(5), pp. 405-436. (doi: 10.1111/jir.12811) (PMID:33590605)

Mcgarty, A. , Jones, N., Rutherford, K., Westrop, S., Sutherland, L., Jahoda, A. and Melville, C. (2021) Feasibility of the Go2Play Active Play intervention for increasing physical and social development in children with intellectual disabilities. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 7, 43. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-021-00783-6) (PMID:33546765) (PMCID:PMC7863425)

McGarty, A. M. , Westrop, S. C. and Melville, C. A. (2021) Exploring parents' experiences of promoting physical activity for their child with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 34(1), pp. 140-148. (doi: 10.1111/jar.12793) (PMID:32776494)

Rana, D. , Westrop, S., Germeni, E. , Mcgarty, A. , Ells, L., Lally, P., McEwan, M., Melville, C. , Harris, L. and Wu, O. (2021) Understanding the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of lifestyle modification interventions in adults with learning disabilities: Protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 10, 251. (doi: 10.1186/s13643-021-01808-0) (PMID:34544482) (PMCID:PMC8453997)

Harris, L., Mcgarty, A. M. , Hilgenkamp, T., Mitchell, F. and Melville, C. A. (2019) Patterns of objectively measured sedentary behaviour in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 32(6), pp. 1428-1436. (doi: 10.1111/jar.12633) (PMID:31192528)

Westrop, S. C., Melville, C. A. , Muirhead, F. and Mcgarty, A. (2019) Gender differences in physical activity and sedentary behaviour in adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 32(6), pp. 1359-1374. (doi: 10.1111/jar.12648)

McGarty, A.M. , Downs, S.J., Melville, C.A. and Harris, L. (2018) A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to increase physical activity in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(4), pp. 312-329. (doi: 10.1111/jir.12467) (PMID:29277930)

Harris, L., Mcgarty, A. M. , Hilgenkamp, T., Mitchell, F. and Melville, C. A. (2018) Correlates of objectively measured sedentary time in adults with intellectual disabilities. Preventive Medicine Reports, 9, pp. 12-17. (doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.11.010) (PMID:29255667) (PMCID:PMC5725213)

McGarty, A. M. and Melville, C. A. (2018) Parental perceptions of facilitators and barriers to physical activity for children with intellectual disabilities: A mixed methods systematic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 73, pp. 40-57. (doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.12.007) (PMID:29248807)

Harris, L., McGarty, A. , Hutchison, L., Ellis, L. and Hankey, C. (2018) Short-term intermittent energy restriction interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 19(1), pp. 1-13. (doi: 10.1111/obr.12593) (PMID:28975722)

Melville, C.A. , McGarty, A. , Harris, L., Hughes-Mccormack, L., Baltzer, M. , McArthur, L., Morrison, J. , Allan, L. and Cooper, S.-A. (2018) A population-based, cross-sectional study of the prevalence and correlates of sedentary behaviour of adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(1), pp. 60-71. (doi: 10.1111/jir.12454) (PMID:29214701)

McGarty, A. , Penpraze, V. and Melville, C. (2016) Calibration and cross-validation of the ActiGraph wGT3X+ accelerometer for the estimation of physical activity intensity in children with intellectual disabilities. PLoS ONE, 11(10), e0164928. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164928) (PMID:27760219) (PMCID:PMC5070820)

Mcgarty, A. M. , Penpraze, V. and Melville, C. A. (2015) Feasibility of a laboratory-based accelerometer calibration protocol for children with intellectual disabilities. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 1, 18. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-015-0014-2)

Mcgarty, A. M. , Penpraze, V. and Melville, C. A. (2014) Accelerometer use during field-based physical activity research in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35(5), pp. 973-981. (doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.02.009) (PMID:24629542)

This list was generated on Tue Apr 22 01:02:36 2025 BST.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

  • A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of the Go2Play Active Play intervention for children with intellectual disabilities.
    Baily Thomas Charitable Fund
    2023 - 2025
     
  • Developing and evaluating the feasibility of a theory-based intervention to increase walking in adults with intellectual disabilities
    Baily Thomas Charitable Fund
    2021 - 2024
     
  • Understanding the mechanisms and effectiveness of lifestyle modification interventions in adults with learning disabilities.
    National Institute for Health Research
    2020 - 2022
     
  • Measuring sedentary behaviour in adults with intellectual disabilities
    Baily Thomas Charitable Fund
    2019 - 2021
     
  • Feasibility of the Active Play intervention for children with intellectual disabilities
    Chief Scientist Office
    2019 - 2019
     
  • Examining the influence of parents on the physical activity behaviours of children with intellectual disabilities
    Baily Thomas Charitable Fund
    2016 - 2018
     

Supervision

I welcome enquires regarding Ph.D. or M.Sc. supervision relating to my Research Interests (above).

 

Current post-doctoral researchers:

  • Sophie Westrop

Current PhD students:

  • Khemapa Chusamer: Sedentary behaviours and physical activity in UK and Thai adults with intellectual disabilities.

Past PhD students:

  • Sophie Westrop: An exploration of gender differences and gender-specific influences on the physical activity and sedentary behaviours of adults with intellectual disabilities (Completed: 2022).

Teaching

I currently contribute to teaching on the following degree courses:

  • M.Sc. Sport and Exercise Science & Medicine (University of Glasgow)
  • B.Sc. Physiology & Sports Science (University of Glasgow)
  • B.Sc. (Med Sci). Psychological Medicine (University of Glasgow)
  • B.Sc. Sport and Physical Activity (University of Strathclyde).

Research datasets

Jump to: 2024
Number of items: 2.

2024

Westrop, S., Mcgarty, A. and Melville, C. (2024) Exploratory study investigating the social support networks of adults with intellectual disabilities in the context of physical activity, while considering the influence of gender. [Data Collection]

Westrop, S., Mcgarty, A. , Melville, C. , Niven, A. and Speir, D.-M. (2024) Understanding capabilities, opportunities, and motivations of walking for physical activity among adults with intellectual disabilities: Applying the COM-B model. [Data Collection]

This list was generated on Tue Apr 22 13:44:34 2025 BST.