I am an Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology. I lead and teach on the exercise physiology components of our undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in sport and exercise, as well as on modules relating to sport and exercise nutrition.
My associate professor title means that I do research, and my particular interest is on women’s exercise physiology. I am co-founder of the Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network, the purpose of which is to grow, strengthen and promote research on women in sport and exercise, with the ultimate goal of optimising women’s athletic success and their participation. My research interests include menstrual cycle, bone health/osteoporosis, and women’s football.
I started at Staffordshire University in 2006 and have worked at other higher education institutes in the UK. Through my academic career, I have been involved in applied research, sports science support for athletes, quality assurance in learning and teaching, and external examining. I previously worked in the private sector within sport, fitness and health.
Professional memberships and activities
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Vice Chair, Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN)
Academic qualifications
- PhD, ‘The isolated and combined effects of circadian and circamensal rhythms on blood lactate concentration’, Liverpool John Moores University.
- MPhil, ‘Development of procedures for assessing the effect of stroke rate on physiological variables during ergometer rowing’, University of St Andrews.
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), University of Warwick.
- BA (Hons) Physical Education & Geography, University of Warwick.
Expertise
- Women’s exercise physiology, health and fitness
- Bone strength and osteoporosis
- Ovarian sex hormones and exercise
- Circadian rhythms and exercise
- Menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception and exercise
- Academic writing and research
Research interests
- Women in sport and exercise
- Women’s sport and exercise physiology
- Ovarian hormones and exercise
- Osteoporosis, exercise and diet
- Menopause and exercise
- Menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception and exercise
Enterprise and commercial interests
I co-founded WiSEAN and do Podcasts as part of this network. I am creator of Peak Condition, a student-led sports science support service at the University.
Externally funded projects include: Erasmus+-funded project, European Women in Sport (E-WinS); UK Football Study Programme (The Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC) and China School Sports Federation (CSSF); The effect of menstrual cycle and time of day on wellbeing and exercise performance in women (North Wales Research Committee and NE Wales NHS Trust); Exercise as an adjunct therapy for postnatal depression (Primary Care Trust, Stoke-on-Trent NHS), and various projects related to the Centre of Health and Development (CHAD).
I also undertake consultancy for various women athletes and sports teams at national and international level, as well as for Flo (a menstrual cycle tracking app), and educational resources (e.g., the New Scientist).
Teaching
- Exercise physiology
- Sport and exercise nutrition
- Research and academic skills
Publications
Forsyth, J. J., Makay, L., & Riley, V. (2021). Perceptions of physical activity changes due to COVID-19 restrictions among women in the United Kingdom. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, (Ahead of Print). https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2020-0068
Babatunde, O. O., Bourton, A. L., Hind, K., Paskins, Z., & Forsyth, J. J. (2020). Exercise interventions for preventing and treating low bone mass in the forearm: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 101(3), 487-511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2019.07.007
Forsyth, J. J., & Roberts, C. (2019). (Ed). The exercising female: Science and its application. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/The-Exercising-Female-Science-and-Its-Application/Forsyth-Roberts/p/book/9780367615925?gclid=Cj0KCQjwgO2XBhCaARIsANrW2X1Fr0Ah1bYKzq1dUqXdtAMmxmYg9rv0KSbeDRqaaIpb59XPF75ST8MaAuXXEALw_wcB