Dr Arlene McGarty

  • Research Fellow (Mental Health & Wellbeing)

telephone: 0141 211 3902
email: Arlene.McGarty@glasgow.ac.uk

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

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: 2023 | 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
Number of items: 18.

2023

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)

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, (doi: 10.1111/jir.13014) (PMID:36751007) (Early Online Publication)

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 Fri Jun 9 19:36:58 2023 BST.
Jump to: Articles
Number of items: 18.

Articles

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)

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, (doi: 10.1111/jir.13014) (PMID:36751007) (Early Online Publication)

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 Fri Jun 9 19:36:58 2023 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).

Professional activities & recognition

Professional & learned societies

  • 2019 - Present: Network of Early Career Researchers and Students (NESI) committee member, International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity committee member
  • 2018 - Present: Postdoctoral Research Forum representative, University of Glasgow