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I received my PhD in Public Health Sciences from the University of Waterloo in 2021 and MSc in Applied Nutrition from the University of Guelph in 2016. Prior to joining Laurier, I was the Program Manager of the largest longitudinal youth health study in Canada at the University of Waterloo and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Waterloo specializing in survey development and validation.
The main focus of my research is understanding physical activity behaviours among youth, and implementing and evaluating inclusive physical activity programming targeting youth.
Firstly, I am interested in the correlates and determinants of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sedentary behaviour, strength training, and sport participation (inclusive and competitive) among youth. I am also interested in the development and evaluation of inclusive physical activity programs primarily among youth, to improve physical and mental health outcomes over time.
My research uses natural experimental and program evaluation methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of inclusive physical activity programs. I also study the determinants and correlates of youth physical activity behaviours and how these physical activity behaviours change over time. My research aims to generate high quality evidence to inform inclusive physical activity programming among youth.
A secondary area of my research program is the susceptibility of youth to online misinformation and how this susceptibility influences their behaviours (i.e., social media use, school connectedness, body image, physical activity, eating habits) over time. This work aims to inform programs and policies to help reduce the impact of online misinformation on Canadian youth.
I am currently recruiting masters students for the F26 term for the following projects:
- Examining the association between parental/guardian support and youth physical activty among a sample of participants in a community-based physical activity program
- Examining youth physical activity behaviours using large cross-sectional or longitudinal survey data
Please reach out to me by email if interested in any of these opportunities. I am happy to supervise students in other areas that align with my research interests.
If you are interested in studying the determinants and correlates of physical activity, sport participation, and sedentary behaviour, and/or evaluating physical activity programs, please reach out to me for additional opportunities.
- Burns, K.E., Brown, P.R., Calnan, M., Ward, P.R., Little, J., Betini, G., Perlman, C., Nascimento, H.G., Meyer, S.B. (2023) Development and validation of the Trust in Government Measure (TGM). BMC Public Health, 23:2023. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16974-0
- Burns, K.E., Chaurasia, A., Carson, V., and Leatherdale S.T. (2021) A quasi-experimental examination of how changes in school-level intramurals are associated with physical activity among a sample of Canadian secondary school students from the COMPASS Study. Social Science and Medicine-Population Health 14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100805
- Burns, K.E., Vermeer, J., Battista, K., and Leatherdale, S.T. (2021) A School-Level Examination of the Association Between Programs and Policies and Physical Activity Outcomes Among Females from the COMPASS Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 (6):3314. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063314
- Burns, K.E., Chaurasia, A., Carson, V., and Leatherdale S.T. (2021). Examining if changes in gender-specific and co-ed intramural programs affect youth physical activity over time: a natural experiment evaluation using school- and student-level data from the COMPASS Study. BMC Public Health 21, 2045. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12090-z
- Burns, K.E., Chaurasia, A. Carson, V. and Leatherdale, S.T. (2021). Examining If Changes in the Type of School-Based Intramural Programs Affect Youth Physical Activity over Time: A Natural Experiment Evaluation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 (5): 2752. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052752
- Leatherdale, S.T., Burns, K.E., Qian, W., Faulkner, G., and Carson, V. (2021) Evaluating the impact of the Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) on physical activity outcomes over time among older youth in participating communities: a natural experiment study with repeat cross-sectional and longitudinal results. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 (6):3083. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063083
- Williams, G., Burns, K.E., Battista, K., de Groh, M., Jiang, Y., Leatherdale, S. (2021). High school intramural participation and substance use: a longitudinal analysis of COMPASS data. Substance Use and Misuse. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2021.1901932
- Williams, G., Burns, K.E., Battista, K., de Groh, M., Jiang, Y., Leatherdale, S. (2020). A Cross-Sectional Examination of the Association Between Co-ed and Gender-Specific School Intramural Programs and Intramural Participation Among a Sample of Canadian Secondary School Students. Preventive Medicine Reports, 20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101233
- Williams, G. C., Burns, K.E.., Battista, K., de Groh, M., Jiang, Y., and Leatherdale, S. (2020). High school sport participation and of substance use: a cross-sectional analysis of students from the COMPASS Study. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100298
- HE202: Foundations of the Canadian Healthcare System
- KP290: Research Methods
- KP231: Fundamentals of Health
- KP340/HE440: Controversies in Health