Professor Gregory Kolt

• Qualifications
• Biography
• Research
• Selected Publications
• Grants/Current Projects 
• Teaching
• Awards/Honours
• Professional Activities

Qualifications

^ Back to top

Biography

Professor Gregory Kolt joined the University of Western Sydney in December 2006 as Head of the School of Biomedical and Health Sciences. Prior to this current appointment he was Professor of Health Science, Associate Dean (Research), and Founder and Co-Director of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

Gregory Kolt has an academic background that spans several disciplines including psychology (specifically health psychology), physiotherapy, sport and exercise science, and education. He has worked in research, teaching, and psychology and physiotherapy practice. His extensive research experience has covered areas including physical activity and health (in child, adolescent, and older populations), primary health care, health promotion, psychological aspects of injury and rehabilitation, adherence to rehabilitation, injury epidemiology, and stress management. Professor Kolt has been the recipient of several large research grants from national health research funding agencies and has worked with government bodies to develop and shape the national research agenda for physical activity, nutrition, and obesity in New Zealand.

He has also served on review panels for several national research funding agencies, has supervised many doctoral research students, and has been a keynote speaker at a number of international conferences.

Gregory Kolt is the editor of the comprehensive books Physical Therapies in Sport and Exercise (now in its 2nd edition and published in 4 languages) and Psychology in the Physical and Manual Therapies, both published by Elsevier. He was also one of the Founding Editors of the international journal Physical Therapy in Sport where he served as Editor from 1999-2008, and is the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. In addition, he sits on the editorial boards and advisory groups of several international journals.

^ Back to top

Research

Research interests include: Physical activity and health across the lifespan, Prevention of non-communicable disease through physical activity and lifestyle, Health of older adults, and Primary care interventions to prevent lifestyle disease.

^ Back to top

Selected Publications

Publications include 7 books, 24 book chapters, 5 major reports, and over 85 papers in peer-reviewed journals. Selected recent (from 2005) journal publications are included below:

Kalavar, J. M., Kolt, G. S., Giles, L. C., & Driver, R. P. (2005). Physical activity in older Asian Indians living in the United States: Barriers and motives. Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 29, 47-67.

Weerapong, P., Hume, P. A., & Kolt, G. S. (2005). The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention. Sports Medicine, 35, 235-256.

Freitas, I. F. Jr., Rush, E. C., Kolt, G. S., & Luke, A. (2005). An alternative way of measuring hand-to-foot single frequency bioimpedance. International Journal of Body Composition Research, 3, 3-4.

Bradley, K., Kolt, G. S., & Williams, M. M. (2005). Motives for participating in international-level masters athletics. New Zealand Journal of Sports Medicine, 33, 4-12.

Kolt, G. S., Paterson, J. E., & Cheung, V. Y. M. (2006). Barriers to physical activity participation in older Tongan adults living in New Zealand. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 25, 119-125.

Oliver, M., Kolt, G. S., & Schofield, G. M. (2006). Physical activity research and interventions with older adults: Perspectives and issues. Indian Journal of Gerontology, 20, 5-20.

Schofield, G. M., Kolt, G. S., Oliver, M., & Chadha, N. K. (2006). Perceived and real body fatness in older Asian Indians. Indian Journal of Gerontology, 20, 81-92.

Kolt, G. S., Oliver, M., Schofield, G. M., Kerse, N., Garrett, N., & Latham, N. K. (2006). An overview and process evaluation of TeleWalk: A telephone-based counselling intervention to encourage walking in older adults. Health Promotion International, 21, 201-208.

Cox, M., Schofield, G., Greasley, N., & Kolt, G. S. (2006). Pedometer steps in primary-school aged children: A comparison of school-based and out-of-school activity. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 9, 91-97.

Hohepa, M., Schofield, G., & Kolt, G. S. (2006). Physical activity - What do high school students think? Journal of Adolescent Health, 39, 328-336.

Le Fevre, M., Kolt, G. S., & Matheny, J. (2006). Eustress, distress, and their interpretation in primary and secondary occupational stress management interventions: Which way first? Journal of Managerial Psychology, 21, 547-565.

Oliver, M., Schofield, G. M., Kolt, G. S., & Schluter, P. J. (2007). Pedometer accuracy in physical activity assessment of preschool children. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 10, 303-310.

Kolt, G. S., Brewer, B. W., Pizzari, T., Schoo, A. M. M., & Garrett, N. (2007). The Sport Injury Rehabilitation Adherence Scale: A reliable scale for use in clinical physiotherapy. Physiotherapy, 93, 17-22.

Kolt, G. S., Schofield, G. M., Kerse, N., Garrett, N., & Oliver, M. (2007). Effect of telephone counseling on physical activity for low-active older people in primary care: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 55, 986-992.

Kayes, N. M., McPherson K. M., Taylor, D., Schluter, P. J., Wilson, B. K., & Kolt, G. S. (2007). The Physical Activity and Disability Scale (PADS): Reliability, validity and accessibility in people with multiple sclerosis? Clinical Rehabilitation, 21, 628-639.

Oliver, M., Schofield, G. M., Kolt, G. S., & McLachlan, C. (2007). Physical activity in early childhood: Current state of knowledge. New Zealand Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 10, 47-68.

Mummery, W. K., Kolt, G. S., Schofield, G. M., & McLean, G. (2007). Associations between physical activity and other lifestyle behaviours in older New Zealanders. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 4, 411-422.

Oliver, M., Schofield, G. M., & Kolt, G. S. (2007). Physical activity in preschoolers: Understanding prevalence and measurement issues. Sports Medicine, 37, 1045-1070.

Kolt, G. S., Schofield, G. M., Rush, E. C., Oliver, M., & Chadha, N. K. (2007). Body fatness, physical activity, and nutritional behaviours in Asian Indian immigrants to New Zealand. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 16, 656-662.

Hohepa, M., Scragg, R., Schofield, G., Kolt, G. S., & Schaaf, D. (2007). Social support for youth physical activity: Importance of siblings, parents, friends and school support across a segmented school day. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 4, 54, doi:10.1186/1479-5868-4-54.

Hohepa, M., Schofield, G. M., Kolt, G. S., Scragg, R., & Garrett, N. (2008). Pedometer-determined physical activity levels of adolescents: Differences by age, sex, time of week, and transportation mode to school. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 5(Suppl.), S140-S152.

Kerse, N., Falloon, K., Moyes, S. A., Hayman, K. J., Dowell, T., Kolt, G. S., Elley, C. R., Hatcher, S., Peri, K., Keeling, S., Robinson, E., Parsons, J., Wiles, J., & Arroll, B. (2008). DELLITE. Depression in late life: An intervention trial of exercise; Design and recruitment of a randomised controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics, 8, 12.

Caperchione, C., Lauder, W., Kolt, G. S., Duncan, M., & Mummery, W. K. (2008). Associations between social capital and health status in an Australian population. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 13, 471-482.

Hohepa, M., Scragg, R., Schofield, G. M., & Kolt, G. S. (2009). Self-reported physical activity levels during a segmented school day in a large multiethnic sample of high school students. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 12, 284-292.

Caperchione, C., Mummery, W. K., & Kolt, G. S. (2009). Physical activity behaviours of culturally and linguistically migrant groups to Western society: A review of barriers, enablers, and experiences. Sports Medicine, 39, 167-177.

Hohepa, M., Scragg, R., Schofield, G., Kolt, G. S., & Schaaf, D. (2009). Associations between after-school physical activity, television use, and parental strategies in a sample of New Zealand adolescents. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6, 299-305.

Kayes, N. M., Schluter, P. J., McPherson, K. M., Taylor, D., & Kolt, G. S. (2009). The Physical Activity and Disability Survey - Revised (PADS-R): An evaluation of a measure of physical activity in people with chronic neurological conditions. Clinical Rehabilitation, 23, 534-547.

Oliver, M., Schluter, P.J., Paterson, J., Kolt, G.S., & Schofield, G.M. (2009). Pacific Islands Families: Child and parental physical activity and body size – design and methodology. New Zealand Medical Journal, 122 (1298), 48-58.

Kolt, G.S., Schofield,  Kerse, G.M., Garrett, N., Schluter, P.J., Ashton, T., & Patel, A. (2009). The Healthy Steps Study: A randomized controlled trial of a pedometer-based Green Prescription for older adults. Trial protocol. BMC Public Health, 9, 404.

Cox, M., Schofield, G. M., and Kolt, G. S. (2010). Responsibility for children's physical activity: parental, child, and teacher perspectives. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13, 46-52.

Kerse, N., Hayman, K.J., Moyes, S.A., Peri, K., Robinson, E., Dowell, A., Kolt, G.S., Elley, C.R., Hatcher, S., Kiata, L., Wiles, J., Keeling, S., Parsons, J., & Arroll, B. (2010). Home-based activity program for older people with depressive symptoms: Depression in Late Life Intervention Trial of Exercise (DeLLITE), a randomized controlled trial. Annals of Family Medicine, 8, 214-223.

Cioffi, J.M., Schmied, V., Dahlen, H., Mills, A., Thornton, C., Duff, M., Cummings, J., & Kolt, G.S. (2010). Physical activity in pregnancy: Women’s perceptions, practices and influencing factors. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health,55, 455-461.

O’Brien, K.S., Kolt, G.S., Webber, A., & Hunter, J.A. (2010). Alcohol consumption in sport: The influence of sporting idols, friends, and normative drinking practices. Drug and Alcohol Review, 29, 676-683.

Le Fevre, M., Kolt, G.S. (2010). Occupational stress: Are we all talking about the same thing?  New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations, 35(2),16-27.

Kayes, N.M, McPherson K.M., Taylor, D., Schluter, P.J., & Kolt, G.S. (2011). Facilitators and barriers to engagement in physical activity for people with multiple sclerosis: A qualitative investigation. Disability and Rehabilitation, 33, 625-642.

Kayes, N.M., McPherson K.M., Schluter, P.J., Taylor, D., Leete, M., & Kolt, G.S. (2011). Exploring the facilitators and barriers to engagement in physical activity for people with multiple sclerosis. Disability and Rehabilitaion, 33, 1043-1053.

Caperchione, C.M, Kolt, G.S., Tennent, R., & Mummery, W.K. (2011). Physical activity behaviours of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) women living in Australia: A qualitative study of socio-cultural influences. BMC Public Health, 11, 26.

O'Brien, K.S., Kolt, G.S., Martens, M., Miller, P., & Webber, A. (2011). Alcohol industry and non-alcohol industry sponsorship of sportspeople and drinking. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 42, 210-213.

Schmied, V.A., Duff, M., Dahlen, H.G., Mills, A.E., & Kolt, G.S (2011). Not drowning but waving: A study of the experiences and concerns of midwives and other health professionals caring for obese childbearing women. Midwifery, 27, 424-430.

George, E.S., Jorm, L., Kolt, G.S., Bambrick, H., & Lujic, S. (in press). Physical activity and psychological distress in older men: Findings from the New South Wales 45 and Up Study. Journal of Ageing and Physical Activity.

Leung, W., Ashton, T., Kolt, G.S., Schofield, G.M., Garrett, N., Kerse, N.M., & Patel, A. (in press). Cost-effectiveness of pedometer-based versus time-based Green Prescriptions. The Healthy Steps Study. Australian Journal of Primary Health.

Book publications include:

Kolt, G. S., & Anderson, M. B. (Eds.) (2004). Psychology in the physical and manual therapies. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Kolt, G. S., & Snyder-Mackler, L. (Eds.) (2007). Physical therapies in sport and exercise (2nd ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone.

^ Back to top

Grants/Current Projects

Gregory Kolt has been awarded over $4.1 million of external research funding from a range of funding agencies. These research grants include (since 2005):

• 2005 - Health Research Council of New Zealand: Maximising health for older people with depression ($681,534)
• 2005 - Health Research Council of New Zealand: Healthy Steps: A trial of pedometer-based Green Prescription for older adults ($995,170)
• 2005 -  Sport and Recreation New Zealand: Best practice review of sport and physical activity interventions for young people age 13-18 years ($200,000)
• 2005 - Royal Society of New Zealand: Determinants of health-related physical activity ($7,000)
• 2006 - Sport and Recreation New Zealand: Pacific Islands Families: Child and parental physical activity and body size ($70,000)
• 2006 - Health Research Council of New Zealand: Addressing barriers to physical activity: A Randomised Controlled Trial ($250,521)
• 2007 - Department of Health and Ageing & NSW Osteopaths Registration Board: Mental health components in tertiary curricula for osteopaths project ($24,101)
• 2009 - Queensland Health - Population Health Queensland: The effectiveness of strategies (including information technology) to support lifestyle risk modification in men (aged 35-54 years) in relation to nutrition and physical activity in an urban or rural setting in Queensland ($799,656)
• 2010 -2013 National Health and Medical Research Council, Walk 2.0: Investigating the internal and external validity of Web 2.0 applications in promoting physical activity ($896,350)
• 2010 - New Zealand Ministry of Health. A literature review on evidence for promoting physical activity for older people and a review of existing international physical activity guidelines for older people. ($65,000).

Current research projects include:

• Healthy Steps: A trial of pedometer-based Green Prescription for older adults (in collaboration with Auckland University of Technology and University of Auckland)
• Maximising health for older people with depression (in collaboration with University of Auckland and University of Otago)
• Exploring barriers, challenges and motives for physical activity participation and healthy living behaviours in culturally and linguistically diverse women living in Australia (in collaboration with Central Queensland University)
• The effectiveness of strategies (including information technology) to support lifestyle risk modification in men (aged 35-54 years) in relation to nutrition and physical activity in an urban or rural setting in Queensland (in collaboration with Central Queensland University, The Australian E-Health Research Centre, and CSIRO Centre for Human Nutrition)
• Second-hand effects of alcohol use, alcohol sponsorship and drinking motives in university student sportspeople (in collaboration with University of Manchester and University of Otago)
• Physical activity and depression in older rural men
• Walk 2.0: Investigating the internal and external validity of Web 2.0 appications in promoting physical activity 

^ Back to top

Teaching

Current teaching interest is through supervision of PhD and Honours students.

Awards/Honours

Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

^ Back to top

Professional Activities

Gregory Kolt has given over 170 conference presentations at international and national conferences, all of which have been published in peer-reviewed books of proceedings, books of abstracts, CD-ROMS, on-line proceedings, and refereed journals. Details of these conference presentations/publications can be obtained on request.

Other professional activities include:

• Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
• Member of the Editorial Board (or equivalent editorial body) for the following journals: Physical Therapy in Sport, New Zealand Journal of Sports Medicine, and International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
• Member of the Sports Medicine Australia Scientific Committee
• Reviewed grant applications for Health Research Council of New Zealand, National Heart Foundation (New Zealand), Physiotherapy Research Foundation, Sport and Recreation New Zealand, NHMRC, Heart Foundation (Australia), and Diabetes Australia Research Trust

• ^ Back to top