Dr Anna Myers PhD, MSc, BSc

I have an undergraduate degree in Physical Activity, Health and Exercise Science and a Masters degree in Physical Activity for Health, both of which were awarded at Sheffield Hallam University.

I joined the Appetite Control and Energy Balance research group at the University of Leeds in March 2014 as a Research Assistant. During my time in Leeds I contributed to a number of large scale multi-national projects whilst also studying for my PhD which I completed in 2017.

My PhD explored the associations among free-living sedentary and active behaviour, adiposity and appetite control within an energy balance framework.

As well as specialising in exercise, appetite control and energy balance research, I am also interested in the broader health effects of exercise, physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

The type of work I have been involved in ranges from rigorously controlled laboratory based clinical trials to community based pragmatic evaluations.

I have led and contributed to large scale projects funded by multiple national and international agencies including; the European Union, the National Institute for Health Research, Public Health England, Sport England, Macmillan Cancer Support and Slimming World. I have also designed and led several smaller projects funded locally.

I have published several peer reviewed journal articles, presented at national and international conferences and taught on the undergraduate Physical Activity, Sport and Health course at SHU.

Specialist areas of interest

Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and health
Exercise, appetite control and energy balance
Measurement of free-living physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Body composition
Evaluation of physical activity interventions

Health And Wellbeing

Subject area

Exercise and Health related research

Physical activity, sport and health

Contemporary Issues in Physical Activity and Health

Research Centre: Centre for Sport and Exercise Science; National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine
Research Institute: Sheffield Hallam University; Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds

Current Research Projects: Exercise as a mean to prevent and recover the chronic diseases (PREVENT), Erasmus + Sport; PREP (PREhabilitation scoping Project), Macmillan Cancer Support

Journal articles

Buckland, N.J., Swinnerton, L.F., Ng, K., Price, M., Wilkinson, L.L., Myers, A., & Dalton, M. (2021). Susceptibility to increased high energy dense sweet and savoury food intake in response to the COVID-19 lockdown: The role of craving control and acceptance coping strategies. Appetite, 158 (105017). http://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.105017

Buckland, N.J., Camidge, D., Croden, F., Myers, A., Lavin, J.H., Stubbs, R.J., ... Finlayson, G. (2019). Women with a low satiety phenotype show impaired appetite control and greater resistance to weight loss. British Journal of Nutrition, 1-22. http://doi.org/10.1017/s000711451900179x

Myers, A., Dalton, M., Gibbons, C., Finlayson, G., & Blundell, J. (2019). Structured, aerobic exercise reduces fat mass and is partially compensated through energy intake but not energy expenditure in women. Physiology & Behavior, 199, 56-65. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.11.005

Myers, A., Gibbons, C., Butler, E., Dalton, M., Buckland, N., Blundell, J., & Finlayson, G. (2018). Disentangling the relationship between sedentariness and obesity: Activity intensity, but not sitting posture, is associated with adiposity in women. Physiology & Behavior, 194, 113-119. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.05.007

Myers, A., Gibbons, C., Butler, E., Dalton, M., Buckland, N., Blundell, J., & Finlayson, G. (2017). A novel integrative procedure for identifying and integrating three-dimensions of objectively measured free-living sedentary behaviour. BMC public health, 17 (1), 979. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4994-0

Hopkins, M., Beaulieu, K., Myers, A., Gibbons, C., & Blundell, J.E. (2017). Mechanisms responsible for homeostatic appetite control: theoretical advances and practical implications. Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism, 12 (6), 401-415. http://doi.org/10.1080/17446651.2017.1395693

Myers, A., Gibbons, C., Finlayson, G., & Blundell, J. (2016). Associations among sedentary and active behaviours, body fat and appetite dysregulation: investigating the myth of physical inactivity and obesity. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51 (21), 1540-1544. http://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2015-095640

Conference papers

Myers, A. (2017). A novel procedure for identifying and integrating three-dimensions of objectively measured free-living sedentary time. In International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Conference, Victoria, Canada.

Presentations

Myers, A. (2015). Associations amongst sedentary and active behaviours, energy expenditure, body fat and appetite dysregulation. Presented at: International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Conference, Edinburgh

Posters

Myers, A., Dalton, M., Gibbons, C., Finlayson, G., & Blundell, J. (2017). Effect of a medium-term exercise intervention on fat mass is partially compensated for by increased appetite, but not reduced non-exercise physical activity. Presented at: British Association of Sport and Exercise Science Conference, Nottingham

Myers, A., Gibbons, C., Butler, E., Blundell, J., & Finlayson, G. (2017). A novel procedure for integrating three objectively measured dimensions of free-living sedentary time. Presented at: European Congress on Obesity, Porto, Portugal, 2017

Myers, A., Finlayson, G., Blundell, J., & Gibbons, C. (2015). Is the presence of sedentary behaviour or the absence of physical activity responsible for fat mass and appetite dysregulation? Preliminary results from the DAPHNE project. Presented at: European Congress on Obesity, Prague, 2015

Myers, A., Finleyson, G., Blundell, J., & Gibbons, C. (2014). Investigating the impact of sedentariness on appetite control: A multilevel platform linking energy intake and energy expenditure. Presented at: Annual UK Congress on Obesity, Birmingham, 2014