College of Kinesiology

Hello. Bonjour, tānsi. hau koda. ëdƚanet’e? hau kola. taanishi. hau kona. anin
[English. French. Cree. Dakota. Dene. Lakota. Michif. Nakota. Saulteaux] and welcome to my faculty webpage. My preferred pronouns are he/him/his. I am a Professor in the College of Kinesiology with expertise in exercise physiology and auxology. I teach in the area of children’s growth and development. I am also the Interim Associate Provost Health, in the office of the Provost and VP Academic, USask

Research Areas

Children’s’ Growth, Maturation and Development

Children's Sport

Sport Talent Identification

Bone Health

Academic Background

  • 1985 B.Sc (Hons) Biology, New University of Ulster, UK
  • 1995 Ph.D, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, UK
    • 2000 Associate Professor, College of Kinesiology
    • 2005 Full Professor, College of Kinesiology
    • 2008 Associate Dean Graduate Education and Research, College of Kinesiology
    • 2010 Acting Dean College of Kinesiology
    • 2011 Associate Dean Graduate Education and Research, College of Kinesiology
    • 2013 Interim Dean College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
    • 2020 Interim Associate Provost, Health.

Courses Taught

  • KIN 806.3 - Children Growth and Development

Research Interests

My research falls under the College of Kinesiology's Research Theme, child and youth health and development.

  • Exercise Physiology
  • Auxology (Study of Human Growth)
  • Growth and Maturation
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Bone, Lean and Fat Development
  • Talent Identification

My research interests are focused on childhood growth and development as they pertain to exercise, physical activity, body composition and health (specifically osteoporosis and cardiovascular health). My work is related to longitudinal studies that investigate pre-natal, childhood and adolescent antecedents of adult disease. I currently direct two world-renowned longitudinal studies, the Saskatchewan Growth and Development Study (SGDS – 1964 – 2011) and the Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study (PBMAS – 1991-2017). These two studies are investigating the effects of childhood growth, maturation, physical fitness, physical activity and diet on short and long-term bone and cardiovascular health. I am also involved in the development of newly emerging longitudinal studies in a variety of populations including young athletes, children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and intrauterine antecedents of inflammation-mediated disease. I have a keen interest in youth sport development, in particular research related to the association between childhood growth and development, talent identification and sports participation. I work with colleagues from the Faculty of Sport at the University of Porto, Portugal, investigating the development of children’s gross motor coordination and sport’s technical skills

I have developed several web based growth utility programs that can be used to predict maturity, adult size and bone health.

Social Media

Publications

Example Publications

Mirwald, R.L., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Bailey, D.A., Beunen G.P. (2002). An assessment of maturity from anthropometric measurements. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 34(4):689-694.
Cited 2119

Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Faulkner, R.A, Forwood, M., Mirwald, R.L. & Bailey, D.A. (2011). Bone mineral accrual from 8 to 30 years of age: An estimation of peak bone mass. Journal of Bone Mineral Research, 26(8):1729-1739.
Cited 536

Rauch, F., Bailey, D.A., Baxter-Jones, A., Mirwald, R. & Faulkner, R. (2004). The ‘muscle-bone unit’ during the pubertal growth spurt. Bone. 34: 771-775.
Cited 416

Sherar, L.B., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Faulkner R.L. & Russell, K. (2007). Do physical maturity and birth date predict talent in male youth ice hockey players? Journal of Sports Science, 25(8):879-886.
Cited 390

Baxter-Jones, A.D.G. (1995). Growth and development of young athletes: Should competition levels be aged related? Sports Medicine. 20(2):59-64.
Cited 347

 

Publications 2021

Finch, S.L., Rosenberg, A.M., Kusalik, A.J., Maleki, F., Rezaei, E., Baxter-Jones, A., Benseler, S., Boire, G., Cabral, D.A., Cameron, B., Campillo, S., Chedeville, G., Chetaille, A-L., Dancy, P., Duffy, C., Watanabe Duffy, K., Ellsworth, J., Feldman, B., Gibbon, M., Gordon, J., Guillet, C., Guzman, J., Houghton, K., Huber, A.M., Jurencak, R., Lang, B., Laxer, R.M., Maenz, L., Matheson, L., Morishita, K., Oen, K.G., Petty, R.E., Ramsey, S.E., Roth, J., Schneider, R., Scuccimarri, R., Silverman, E., Spiegel, L., Stringer, E., Tse, S.M.L., Tucker, L.B., Turvey, S., Whiting, S., Yeung, R.S..M., Vatanparast, H., for the BBOP Study Group. Higher Concentrations of Vitamin D in Canadian Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Compared to Healthy Controls are Associated with More Frequent Use of Vitamin D Supplements and Season of Birth Nutrition Research (in press)

Pereira, S., Bustamente, A., Santos, C., Hedeker, D., Tani, G., Garganta, R., Vasconcelos, O., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Katzmarzyk, P.T., Maia, J. Biological and environmental influences on motor coordination in Peruvian children and adolescents. Scientific Reports (In Press)

Almeida-Neto, P., Oliveria, V.M.M., Gama de Matos, D., dos Santos, I.K., Baxter-Jones A.D.G., Pinto, V.C.M., de Macedo Cesario, Dantas, P. M. S. T., Aidar, F.J., de Araujo, Tinoco Cabral, B.G. Factors related to lower limb performance in children and adolescents age d7 to 17 years: A Systematic Review with meta-analysis. PLOS ONE (in press)

Almeida-Neto, P., Camos, N.M.R, Gama de Matos, D., Baxter-Jones A.D.G., Silva, B.R.C., Bulhoes-Corrwia, A., Simoes, T.B.S., Aidar, F.J., Dantas, P.M.S.T., Tinoco Carral, B.G. Higher levels of inhibitory control are associated with superior neuromuscular performance in adolescent athletes. Sport Science for Health (in press)

Fransen, J., Forster, S., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G. 2021. Estimating is not measuring: the use of non-invasive estimations of maturity in youth football. Science and Medicine in Football, 5(4):261-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2021.1975808 .

Guimaraes, E., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Williams, A.M.,Travares, F., Janeira, M.A., Maia, J. 2021. Modelling the dynamics of change in young basketball players’ technical skills: The INEX study. PLoS ONE, 16(9):e0257767. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257767

Heale, L.D., Houghton, K.,Rezaei, E., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Tupper, S., Muhajarine, N., Benseler, S., Boire, G., Cabral, D.A., Campillo, S., Chedeville, G., Chetaille, A-L., Dancet, P., Duffy, C., Watanabe, K., Ellsworth, J., Guzman, J., Huber, A.M., Jurencak, R., Lang, B., Laxer, R.M., Morishita, K., Oen, K.G., Petty, R.E., Ramsey, S.E., Roth, J., Schneider, R., Scuccimarri, R., Spiegel, L., Stringer, E., Tse, S.M.L., Tucker, L.B., Turvey, S.E., Yeung, R.S., Rosenberg, A., for the BBOP Study Group. 2021. Clinical and psychosocial stress factors are associated with decline in physical activity over time in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Pediatric Rheumatology, 19:97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-021-00584-4

Almeida-Neto, P., Medeiros, R., Matos, D., Baxter-Jones A., Aidar, F., de Assis, G., Dantas, P., Cabral, B. 2021. Lean mass and biological maturation as predictors of muscle power and strength performance in young athletes. PLOS One 16(7): e0254552 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254552

Guimaraes, E., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Williams, A.M.,Travares, F., Janeira, M.A., Maia, J. 2021. Tracking technical skills development in young basketball players: The INEX study International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8):4094. doi:10.3390/ijerph18084094

Abarghoueinejad, M., Barreira, D., Baxter-Jones, A., Gomes, T.N., Maia, J. 2021. Motor performance in youth soccer players. A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Sports,  9(4), 53 https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9040053

Pereira, S., Garbeloto, F., Guimaraes, E., Santos, C., Baxter-Jones, A., Tani, G., Freitas, D., Bustamante, A., Katzmarzyk, P.T., Maia, J. 2021. Physical fitness spurts in childhood:  A study in boys. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 31(Suppl. 1):47-55. DOI: 10.1111/sms.13800

Abarghoueinejad, M., Baxter-Jones, A., Barreira, D., Williams, M., Maia, J. 2021. Body physique, body composition, physical performance, technical and tactical skills, psychological development and club characteristics of young male soccer players: the INEX study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3560;  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073560 

Guimaraes, E., Maia, J., Williams, M., Sousa, F., Santos, E., Tavares, F., Janeira, M.A., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G. 2021. Muscular strength spurts in adolescent male basketball players: The INEX Study.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 776.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020776

Guimaraes, E., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Williams, A.M.,Travares, F., Janeira, M.A., Maia, J. 2021. The role of growth, maturation and the sporting environment on the development of performance and technical and tactical skills in youth basketball players: The INEX study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(9);979-991. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2020.1853334

 

Complete Publications List

For a list of my research publications, please visit

External Grant Funding

Dr. Baxter-Jones research program has been funded by various organizations, such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Dairy Farmers of Canada, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF), and Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan (CHFS)

Funding Examples

Kontulainen, K. (Co-PI), Nour, M. (Co-Pi) Arnold, B., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Cooper, D., Johnston, J., Lanovaz, J., Muhajarine, N.,  Szafron, M, Vatanparast, H., Wark, J.,  Wiebe, S. (2017–2018) Saskatchewan Bone Strength Development Study (BSDS). Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).

Rosenberg, AM. (PI), Adamko, D., Agrey, N., Almubarak, S., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G. , Bowen, A., Bradley, T., Dyck, R., Erlanson, M., Gordon, J., Inman, M, Kusalik, A., Magee, F., Martel, J., Nour, M.,  Strueby, L., Vatanparast, H. (2017-2019).  Intrauterine Inflammation as a Determinant of Pregnancy Outcome and Child Health, Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan (CHFS)

Vatanparast, H. (PI), Kontulainen, S. (Co-PI), Whiting, S., Baxter-Jones, A., Szafron, M. (2016-2018). Role of milk and alternatives on bone material and strength, body composition and cardio-metabolic risk from childhood to adulthood through the Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Longitudinal Study.  Dairy Farmers of Canada.

Erlandson, M.A. (PI), Rosenberg, A., Baxter-Jones, A.D.G., Humbert, L., Chilibeck, P. (2015-2018). Adolescent exercise for bone health. Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF).

Baxter-Jones, A.D.G. (PI), Sherar, L.B., Proctor, W.L. (2013-2015). The effects of adolescent physical growth and maturation on selection into sport and the long-term effects on sports participation. Sports Participation Research Initiative Insight Grants, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) / Sport Canada.

Baxter-Jones, A.D.G (PI), Arnold, C., Cooper, D., Johnston, G., Johnston, J.D., Lanovaz, J., Chilibeck, P., Farthing, P., Kontulainen, S. (2011-2014). Bone Imaging Group (BIG). Health Research Group – Phase Two Grant Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF). 

Baxter-Jones, A.D.G. (PI), Cooper, D., Johnston, J.D. (2009-2010). Advanced Imaging of Human Bone and Joints. Leaders Opportunity Fund, Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

Baxter-Jones, A.D.G. (P.I), Eisenmann, J., Faulkner, R.A., SJ Whiting, S.J., Sherar, L. (2008-2011). The Relationships of Adolescent Physical Development, Physical Fitness and Physical Activity to Markers of Metabolic Syndrome at 50 years of age. Regional Partnership Program Grant, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Current Graduate Students

Hidalgo-Mazzei, Aaron, M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan, College of Kinesiology, Canada, supervisor, “Role of growth and development during adolescence in youth soccer”

Hyrich-Krueger, Tobias, M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan, College of Kinesiology, Canada, supervisor, “Role of growth and development during adolescence in youth soccer”

Ernst, Brendan, M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan, College of Kinesiology, Canada, supervisor, “Role of growth and development on combination outcomes in youth Canadian football players”

Jabbal, Arjun, M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan, College of Kinesiology, Canada, co-supervisor, “Has children’s aerobic power changed in the last 50 years”

Costa, Daniela, Ph.D., University of Coimbra, Portugal, co-supervisor, “Longitudinal assessment of knee isokinetic strength in youth male soccer players”

Moura Relvas Sousa a Silva, Paulo, Ph.D., University of Coimbra, Portugal, co-supervisor, “Measures of biological maturation in young athletes”