TY - JOUR
T1 - Contemporary challenges, needs and opportunities for emerging behavioral nutrition and physical activity researchers
T2 - a mixed-methods study
AU - Johnson, Brittany J.
AU - Chappel, Stephanie E.
AU - Shaw, Sarah
AU - Lawlor, Emma R.
AU - Barrett, Stephen
AU - Wilson, Kylie
AU - St Laurent, Christine W.
AU - Caldwell, Hilary
AU - Bruijns, Brianne A.
AU - Burkart, Sarah
AU - Willmott, Taylor J.
AU - Lee, Daehyoung
AU - Verswijveren, Simone J.J.M.
PY - 2025/7/6
Y1 - 2025/7/6
N2 - Background: Emerging researchers commonly navigate challenging and insecure working environments. Yet the impact on emerging behavioral nutrition and physical activity researchers is unknown. Hence, we sought to identify the contemporary challenges, needs, and opportunities for emerging behavioral nutrition and physical activity researchers. Methods: We employed a convergent mixed methods design, using an online survey. Participants completed socio-demographic questions, and rated the impact of personal and professional challenges, development needs with descriptive elaborations, and existing and desired professional development opportunities. Data analysis included thematic analysis of open-ended responses and descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions of quantitative data. Integration of quantitative and qualitative data was through narrative and weaving. Results: Emerging researchers (n = 111, 57% graduate students) from over 20 countries participated. Synthesised results related to all four domains of the Researcher Development Framework. Specifically, we identified 8 themes relating to conducting research (domain 1); physical and mental health, and networking (domain 2); grant funding, and employment opportunities (domain 3); and leadership, supportive work networks, and communication with non-academic audiences (domain 4). Financial comfort was a predictor of both professional and personal development needs. Conclusions: Our study highlights the multiple challenges emerging researchers face, with increasing demands of collective efforts to support sustainable career development. Our findings serve as a foundation for promoting an inclusive and equitable research environment for emerging researchers. Though individual-level solutions may help, greater impact is likely from systemic changes to increase job security, career progression pathways and availability of ECR-specific funding.
AB - Background: Emerging researchers commonly navigate challenging and insecure working environments. Yet the impact on emerging behavioral nutrition and physical activity researchers is unknown. Hence, we sought to identify the contemporary challenges, needs, and opportunities for emerging behavioral nutrition and physical activity researchers. Methods: We employed a convergent mixed methods design, using an online survey. Participants completed socio-demographic questions, and rated the impact of personal and professional challenges, development needs with descriptive elaborations, and existing and desired professional development opportunities. Data analysis included thematic analysis of open-ended responses and descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions of quantitative data. Integration of quantitative and qualitative data was through narrative and weaving. Results: Emerging researchers (n = 111, 57% graduate students) from over 20 countries participated. Synthesised results related to all four domains of the Researcher Development Framework. Specifically, we identified 8 themes relating to conducting research (domain 1); physical and mental health, and networking (domain 2); grant funding, and employment opportunities (domain 3); and leadership, supportive work networks, and communication with non-academic audiences (domain 4). Financial comfort was a predictor of both professional and personal development needs. Conclusions: Our study highlights the multiple challenges emerging researchers face, with increasing demands of collective efforts to support sustainable career development. Our findings serve as a foundation for promoting an inclusive and equitable research environment for emerging researchers. Though individual-level solutions may help, greater impact is likely from systemic changes to increase job security, career progression pathways and availability of ECR-specific funding.
KW - Career development
KW - Early career researchers
KW - Movement behaviors
KW - Nutrition
KW - Sleep
KW - Students
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105010101886&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12966-025-01748-1
DO - 10.1186/s12966-025-01748-1
M3 - Comment/debate
C2 - 40619413
AN - SCOPUS:105010101886
SN - 1479-5868
VL - 22
JO - International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
JF - International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
IS - 1
M1 - 94
ER -
