The main objective of our research is to develop evidence-based knowledge for promoting physical activity and healthy exercise in all segments of the population, from elite athletes to the general population.
Our research covers a wide range of topics, including adaptation to exercise training, health and performance among athletes, physical activity and health, and methods for measuring physical activity.
We use a variety of research methods, including epidemiological studies, experimental studies, and methodological studies, to investigate the impact of physical activity on health across all ages.
Physical activity and health, epidemiology |
Physical activity measurement |
| Our research is heavily based on population-based studies such as the Tromsø study, Fit Futures, SAMINOR, Finnmarksundersøkelsen, High North Population Studies, the Birkebeiner ageing study, NHANES, the Healthy Ageing Initiative, and the HUNT study. Our main focus areas have been the associations between physical activity and cardiovascular disease, and physical activity and osteoporosis. We also collaborate with projects on physical activity and pain, physical activity and mental health, physical activity and e-health, physical activity and COPD. Publications | From the commencement in 2015, our research group has worked on increasing our competence on physical activity measurement methods, mainly questionnaires and accelerometer. In Tromsø7 in 2015-16 we started the ACTIHEALTH study, which aimed to describe prevalences and trends in physical activity in the population and contribute to the development of measurement methods. The work has been conducted in close collaboration with Department of Computer Sciences at UiT. Publications |
Female athletes |
Exercise physiology, physical performance |
| In 2020, the research group started two large projects on female athletes; the Female Endurance Athletes project (FENDURA) and the Female Football Research Center (FFRC). The projects aim at obtaining new insights and knowledge on performance factors that influence sustainable development and health of female elite athletes. Publications FFRC Publications FENDURA | Our researchers have extensive background and competence in exercise physiology, and a large part of our research is therefore centered around this topic, including training adaptation, exercise performance, athletic pacing, with a specific focus on cross-country skiing and football performance and health. Publications |
Our research group runs three state-of-the-art physiology labs, located at our Alta and Tromsø campuses, as well as at the Alfheim research and training lab. These labs are equipped with advanced measuring equipment that allows us to conduct comprehensive testing of endurance, strength, and power, providing us with valuable insights into the physiological responses to exercise and training.
Some selected news from the research group:
Full-time positions only / All members, including professor II
Kim Arne Heitmann (2023) Physical activity and the structure and function of the left side of the heart
Edvard Hamnvik Sagelv (2023) Physical activity, weight gain, and risk of mortality in adults
Sigurd Beldo (2021) Accelerometer-measured physical activity in Norwegian adolescents. Results from The Fit Futures Study
Sigurd Pedersen (2021) Training and influence of maximal strength in football players - With specific emphasis on females
Rune Hermansen (2020) Physical activity, cardiovascular risk factors, and mortality in ethnic groups in the Arctic region of Norway
Ivan Baptista (2020) Football training specificity - Training individualization within the collective periodization
Tina P. Engseth (2024) The perception of the menstrual cycle, cycle-related symptoms, and hormonal contraception in female endurance athletes: The FENDURA project
Andreas K. Winther (2024) Activity Profiles and Training Loads of Highly Trained Female Football Players
Involved in projects such as
Served on various research committees, including the Reference Group for New National Guidelines for Physical Activity at Helsedirektoratet.
Exercise science
Exercise physiology
Physical activity and health
Cardiovascular epidemiology
Effect of menstrual cycle on performance and recovery
Menstrual dysfunction in exercising women
Sleep and recovery in athletes
Determinants of endurance performance
Women's health research
I am researching exercise physiology, training science, and load in soccer, focusing specifically on female athletes. Other research interests include strength and endurance training, body composition, and applied physical testing in elite sports. Additionally, I have a research interest in physical activity and physiology in epidemiological studies.
Exercise science
Exercise physiology
Strength and conditioning
Physical activity and health
Physical activity and health
Epidemiology
Physical activity in childhood and adolescence
Performance development in sport
Youth sport and talent development
Sports psychology
Tracking, testing and training in football
Technology in sport
Physical activity and physical training in chldren, adolescents and adults
Alcohol use and sleeping problems, sleeping problems and sleep duration and weight issues, offspring and partner effects of alcohol use, physical activity and depression among adolescents
Topics from sport science themes; Youth Olympic Games, Olympics, role models, athletes, coaching, culture/ cross cultural, learning, and healt & well being.
I am an associate professor in Epidemiology at the Department of Community Medicine and the research group leader of the Systems Epidemiology group. I am an associated member of the research group Physical Activity and Public Health. My main research field is within cancer epidemiology and lifestyle factors, especially physical activity and exercise in cancer. A broader focus is also on social inequalities in (public) health and student health and welfare. Lastly, research within pedogogical development with students as partners in designing research based teaching activities.
Ongoing projects involve: (more information in the research group web site Systems epidemiology)
Physical Activity in School and Kindergarten
Physical education teaching
Research - Based Education
Physical Education
Health technology, medical informatics, mobile health (mHealth), epidemiology, methods for measuring physical activity
In his PhD Marc does research on new methods to process and model (raw) accelerometer data. These small sensors are often used to objectively meassure physical activity, sleep and other lifestyle factors in general in cohort and public health studies or as a control meassurement in experimental studies. Marc's research focuses on advancing our understanding of the collected data.
Non-communicable diseases (NCD's) with focus on cardiovascular diseases, owerweight/obesity and physical activity. Member of the research group Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases associated member of the research group Sports, physical activity and health
Cardiometabolic health and risk factors
Obesity, Diet and Physical activity
Cardiovascular disease
Secondary prevention after myocardial infarction
Ageing
Epidemiology and prevention of CVD with focus on gender differences and risk factors for myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation and heart failure
ContactSport, Physical activity, and HealthSchool of Sport SciencesFaculty of Health Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway Postal address: Idrettshøgskolen, MH-bygget, Postboks 6050 Langnes, 9037 Tromsø Bente Morseth bente.morseth@uit.no 77660769 You can find us here: Map Campus Tromsø/MH Map Campus Alta |