Grant Tomkinson is a Professor of Human Movement and Exercise and Sports Science, and member of the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) at UniSA.
He is interested in how people’s physical fitness levels relate to their health. Physical fitness describes people's ability to perform physical activity, and it is important for good health and sporting success. He is particularly interested in whether people are more fit today than in the past. He was the first to show that kids’ aerobic performance levels have, in fact, declined worldwide since about 1975 and have been stable since 2000. His research has informed policy and guidelines nationally and internationally, including co-authoring the International Olympic Committee’s consensus statement on Fitness and Health of Young People through Sport and Physical Activity. He is a Young Tall Poppy Science Award winner.
He is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, an Executive Committee member of Active Healthy Kids Australia, and the Oceania Representative on the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance's Board of Directors.