Dr Jannique van Uffelen
BA (Hogeschool Utrecht, The Netherlands)
MSc (Human Movement Sciences, Vrije University Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
MSc (Epidemiology, Vrije University)
PhD (Vrije University)
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Physical Activity and Health
Contact details
Rm 406
phone: +61 7 3365 6981
fax: +61 7 3365 6877
E-mail: jvanuffelen@hms.uq.edu.au
Background
Jannique joined the School of Human Movement Studies in July 2007 as a Research Fellow in Physical Activity and Health. After finishing her pre-university education, Jannique studied Exercise Therapy Cesar at the Hogeschool Utrecht from 1995 till 1998. She then started her studies in Human Movement Sciences at the Vrije University in Amsterdam. She graduated in 2001 with a major in Human Movement Sciences and Health Care. Her specialization was rehabilitation medicine. Jannique expressed her interest in physical activity and mental health by following optional courses on personality- and social psychology, psychopathology and sports therapy. During this masters study, she also worked part-time as an exercise therapist in several health care centers, where she provided both individual therapy and sports classes for middle aged women with reduced physical capabilities and men with cardiovascular disease.
Jannique started her scientific career at the Dutch Institute of Allied Health Care in Amersfoort, where she worked as a medical librarian and as a research fellow. In 2002, she started her PhD-project at the EMGO-institute, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Vrije University Medical Center in Amsterdam. From autumn 2002 until spring 2007, she worked on her PhD thesis entitled ‘Prevention of cognitive decline: effectiveness of physical exercise and vitamin B supplementation'. This thesis describes the results of Project FACT (Folate physical Activity Cognition Program), a randomized controlled trial on the effect of one year of a moderate intensity exercise program and vitamin B supplementation, based on a factorial design. Participants were community-dwelling adults with mild cognitive impairment, aged 70 to 80 years. The effects of both interventions on cognitive function, quality of life, aerobic fitness, and homocysteine concentrations were examined. During this period, Jannique also completed the Postgraduate Epidemiology Programme at the EMGO-institute.
At the School of Human Movement Studies, Jannique will be involved in physical activity measurement studies in older adults and in the development, implementation and evaluation of physical activity interventions in relation to changes in health status, such as weight gain, changes during menopause and chronic disease.
Research Interests
Jannique is particularly interested in the health changes related to the aging process, including both physical and mental health. Her research interests comprise: 1) measurement of physical activity in older adults and in adults with chronic diseases and the application of these measures in epidemiologic research; 2) understanding physical activity patterns in relation to changes in health status; and 3) the promotion of physical activity and exercise in these populations.
Selected Publications
van Uffelen, J.G., Chin A Paw, M.J., Hopman-Rock, M., & van Mechelen, W. (in press 2007). The effect of walking and vitamin B supplementation on quality of life in community-dwelling adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, controlled trial. Quality of Life Research, Jul 7; [Epub ahead of print]
van Uffelen, J.G., Chin A Paw, M.J., Klein, M., van Mechelen, W., & Hopman-Rock, M.(2007). Detection of memory impairment in the general population: screening by questionnaire and telephone compared to subsequent face-to-face assessment. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(3), 203-10.
van Uffelen, J.G., Hopman-Rock, M., Chin A Paw, M.J., & van Mechelen, W. (2005). Protocol for Project FACT: a randomised controlled trial on the effect of a walking program and vitamin B supplementation on the rate of cognitive decline and psychosocial wellbeing in older adults with mild cognitive impairment [ISRCTN19227688]. BMC Geriatrics, 5, 18.