Dr Sophie Reale PhD MSc BSc
Behavioural Science Research Fellow
Summary
I am a Behavioural Science Research Fellow on a 5-year NIHR funded programme grant called STAMINA (Supported exercise TrAining for Men wIth prostate caNcer on Androgen deprivation therapy). STAMINA aims to integrate exercise into standard NHS prostate cancer care with the delivery partner, Nuffield Health. My area of expertise is in behaviour change with a particular interest in exercise behaviour and food intake in specialist populations including people with obesity and people with cancer. My current research focusses on the development and evaluation of complex behaviour change interventions and implementation into the NHS and leisure industry.
About
I have an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science and a Masters degree in Psychology, both of which were awarded at Sheffield Hallam University. During my undergraduate and Masters degree I explored the impact of menu labelling design on visual attention, food choice and recognition. I also worked as a healthcare specialist at Rotherham Institute for Obesity. In 2015, I was awarded a faculty scholarship to study for a PhD in the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield. My PhD was centred on infant feeding practices and explored the impact of two methods of downsizing (i.e. snack reduction and snack replacement). During this time, I also worked as a research assistant (ad hoc) on an N8 AgriFood project. My current role as a behavioural science research fellow includes developing and delivering on a complex intervention by adopting a theory and evidence-based approach, supported by stakeholder and public and patient involvement (PPI) input. Furthermore, I have led on the delivery of a feasibility study and will contribute towards a qualitative process evaluation. I have published several peer reviewed journal articles, presented at national and international conferences and teach on the MBChB at the University of Sheffield.
Research
Supported exercise TrAining for Men wIth prostate caNcer on Androgen deprivation therapy (STAMINA)
Publications
Journal articles
McNaught, E., Reale, S., Bourke, L., Brown, J.E., Collinson, M., Day, F., ... Rosario, D.J. (2024). Supported exercise TrAining for Men wIth prostate caNcer on Androgen deprivation therapy (STAMINA): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the STAMINA lifestyle intervention compared with optimised usual care, including internal pilot and parallel process evaluation. Trials, 25 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-07989-y
Memon, Z.A., Tahmeena, , Fazal, S.A., Reale, S., Spencer, R., Bhutta, Z., & Soltani, H. (2024). Effective strategies for increasing the uptake of modern methods of family planning in South Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Women's Health, 24 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02859-2
Memon, Z.A., Mian, A., Reale, S., Spencer, R., Bhutta, Z., & Soltani, H. (2023). Community and Healthcare Provider Perspectives on Barriers and Enablers of Family Planning Use in Rural Sindh: A Qualitative Exploratory Study. JMIR Formative Research, 7. http://doi.org/10.2196/43494
Memon, Z.A., Reale, S., Ahmed, W., Spencer, R., Lashari, T.H., Bhutta, Z., & Soltani, H. (2022). Effects of integrating family planning with maternal, newborn, and child health services on uptake of voluntary modern contraceptive methods in rural Pakistan: protocol for a quasi-experimental study. JMIR Research Protocols, 11 (3), e35291. http://doi.org/10.2196/35291
Reale, S., Turner, R., Sutton, E., Steed, L., Taylor, S.J.C., Morrissey, D., ... Bourke, L. (2021). Embedding supervised exercise training for men on androgen deprivation therapy into standard prostate cancer care: a feasibility and acceptability study (the STAMINA trial). Scientific Reports, 11 (1), 12470. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91876-y
Turner, R., Arden, M., Reale, S., Sutton, E., Taylor, S.J.C., Bourke, L., ... Steed, L. (2021). The development of a theory and evidence-based intervention to aid implementation of exercise into the prostate cancer care pathway with a focus on healthcare professional behaviour, the STAMINA trial. BMC Health Services Research, 21, 273. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06266-x
Reale, S., Turner, R.R., Sutton, E., Taylor, S.J.C., Bourke, L., Morrissey, D., ... Steed, L. (2021). Towards implementing exercise into the prostate cancer care pathway: development of a theory and evidence-based intervention to train community-based exercise professionals to support change in patient exercise behaviour (The STAMINA trial). BMC Health Services Research, 21 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06275-w
Marr, C., Reale, S., Breeze, P., & Caton, S.J. (2020). Grandparental dietary provision, feeding practices and feeding styles when caring for preschool-aged grandchildren: A systematic mixed methods review. Obesity Reviews. http://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13157
Reale, S., Simpson, R.M., Marr, C., Carstairs, S.A., Cecil, J.E., Hetherington, M.M., & Caton, S.J. (2019). Snack Portion Sizes for Preschool Children Are Predicted by Caregiver Portion Size, Caregiver Feeding Practices and Children′s Eating Traits. Nutrients, 11 (12), e3020. http://doi.org/10.3390/nu11123020
Reale, S., Marr, C., Cecil, J.E., Hetherington, M.M., & Caton, S.J. (2019). Maternal decisions on portion size and portion control strategies for snacks in preschool children. Nutrients, 11 (12), 3009. http://doi.org/10.3390/nu11123009
Reale, S., Hamilton, J., Akparibo, R., Hetherington, M.M., Cecil, J.E., & Caton, S.J. (2019). The effect of food type on the portion size effect in children aged 2-12 years: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Appetite, 137, 47-61. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.01.025
Reale, S., Kearney, C.M., Hetherington, M.M., Croden, F., Cecil, J.E., Carstairs, S.A., ... Caton, S.J. (2018). The feasibility and acceptability of two methods ofsnack portion control in United Kingdom (UK) preschool children: reduction and replacement. Nutrients, 10, 1493. http://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101493
Flint, S., & Reale, S. (2018). Weight Stigma In frequent exercisers: overt, demeaning and condescending. Journal of Health Psychology, 23 (5), 710-719. http://doi.org/10.1177/1359105316656232
Reale, S., & Flint, S. (2016). The impact of menu label design on visual attention, food choice and recognition: an eye tracking study. Journal of Sensory Studies, 31 (4), 328-340. http://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12216
Reale, S., & Flint, S.W. (2016). Menu labelling and food choice in obese adults: a feasibility study. BMC obesity, 3, 17. http://doi.org/10.1186/s40608-016-0095-3
Flint, S.W., & Reale, S. (2014). Obesity stigmatisation from obesity researchers. The Lancet, 384 (9958), 1925-1926. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)62276-5
Conference papers
Peake, R., Flint, S., & Reale, S. (2015). Lead By Example: The Impact Of Athlete Endorsement On Perceptions Of Nutritional Values. In SMAANZ Conference. Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand, Hobart, 2015.