Education

Biography

Hazzaa M Al-Hazzaa, PhD, FACSM, FECSS, is currently Professor and Head, Lifestyle and Health Research Center Health Science Research Center, Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University,Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He has also served as an emeritus professor and former director of Pediatric Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and in the scientific board of the Obesity Research Chair in the College of Medicine, KSU (2008-2014). In addition, professor Al-Hazzaa held a joint position for four years (2011-2014) as a visiting research professor in the faculty of health and life sciences, Coventry University, Coventry and in the school of human sciences, Newman University, Birmingham, both in UK. He earned his BSc degree in Biology with minor in Chemistry from KSU, and his Master and PhD degrees in Exercise Physiology from USA with clinical emphases. His research involves the investigation of physical activity/inactivity, cardio respiratory fitness and cardio-metabolic health. He also studies the interaction between physical inactivity, sedentary behaviors, energy expenditure and obesity, especially in children and youth. In addition, he previously investigated the physiological function/capacity and body composition of Saudi elite athletes relative to sport performance. He has been the principle investigator in numerous funded research projects in physical activity, energy expenditure, obesity and cardio-metabolic health and fitness in Saudi children and youth; most notably from KACST (KSA) and Johns Hopkins University (USA). Professor Al-Hazzaa has published ten books, edited 3 more books and contributed numerous chapters in published books. In addition, he has published over 180 scientific papers in local, regional and international peer reviewed journals in the areas of exercise physiology, sports medicine, adolescent’s lifestyle behaviors, childhood obesity and physical activity, fitness, fatness & cardio-metabolic health. He is a Fellows of the American College of Sports Medicine and the European College of Sport Science as well as a member of numerous scientific organizations in the field of sports medicine, sports science, clinical exercise physiology, public health, health promotion and pediatric exercise medicine. He had served in the editorial boards of Saudi Sports Medicine Journal from 1996-2012 and is currently in the editorial boards of Asian Journal of Sports Medicine as well as Saudi Journal of Obesity, Journal of Novel Physiotherapy & Physical Rehabilitation and Journal of Physiotherapy & Exercise. He is a regular peer reviewer for 45 regional and international journals. Professor Al-Hazzaa has recently served as a lead guest editor in a special issue of Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. He had also participated in variety of local and regional committees and task forces and has previously held administrative positions as department head of movement sciences, College’s vice dean for academic affairs and board members in the graduate school council and academic council of KSU. He has been among the recipients of the KSU’s Scientific Excellence Prize in 2013 & 2014. During his tenure at KSU, he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in exercise science major and also in the college of applied medical sciences. Such courses included exercise physiology, health and fitness, nutrition and body composition, laboratory procedures in exercise physiology, cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, and exercise testing and prescription. Recently, professor Al-Hazzaa has lead a group of Arab scientists and scholars in conducting the Arab Teens Lifestyle Study (ATLS), which is a school-based multicenter epidemiological study involving lifestyle habits, in relation to health and weight status, among adolescents living in major Arab cities.

Research Interest

• Patterns of physical activity in children and adolescents relative to cardio-metabolic health and fitness.
• Obesity prevalence and trends in children and adolescents.
• Interactions of obesity and energy expenditure with lifestyle behaviors in children & adolescents.
• Physical activity, Ffatness, cardio respiratory fitness and coronary artery disease risk factors.
• Tracking of physical activity, obesity, cardio respiratory fitness and CAD risk factors from childhood to adulthood.
• Physiological, anthropometric and body composition assessments of children and adolescents relative to health and human performance.

Professional Activities:

Publications

1. Khalaf A, Westergren A, Berggren V, Ekblom O, Al-Hazzaa HM. Perceived and ideal body image in young women in South Western Saudi Arabia. Journal of Obesity 2015; vol. 2015, Article ID 697163, 7 pages. doi:10.1155/2015/697163.
2. Al-Haifi A, Al-Majed H, Al-Hazzaa HM, Musaiger AO, Arab MA, Hasan RA. Relative Contribution of Obesity, Sedentary Behaviors and Dietary Habits to Sleep Duration among Kuwaiti Adolescents. Global J of Health Sci; Vol. 8, No. 1; 2016.
3. Hamrani A, Mehdad S, Elkari K, Elhamdouchi A, Chawy I, Belghiti h Mzibri M, Musaiger A, Al- Hazzaa H, Hills A, Mokhtar N, Aguenaou H. Physical activity and dietary habits among Moroccan adolescents. Public Health Nutrition 2015; 18: 1793-1800.
4. Albawardi NM, Jradi H, Al-Hazzaa, HM. Levels and determinants of physical activity and body mass index among Saudi women working in Office Jobs in Riyadh City. Occup Med Health Aff 2015; 3: 196. doi:10.4172/2329-6879.1000196.
5. Khalaf A, Westergren A, Berggren V, Ekblom Ö, Al-Hazzaa HM. Prevalence and association of female weight status and dietary habits with socio-demographic factors: A cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia. Public Health Nutrition 2015; 18:784-796.
6. Al-Sobayel H, Al-Hazzaa HM, Abahussain N, Qahwaji D, Musaiger AO. Gender differences in leisure versus non-leisure-time physical activity among Saudi adolescents. Ann Agric Envirn Med 2015; 22 (2): 334-348. DOI: 10.5604/12321966.1152091.
7. Al-Hazzaa HM, Abahussain N, Al-Sobayel H, Qahwaji D, Musaiger AO. Prevalence of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity among Saudi adolescents: Gender and regional variations. J of Population, Health & Nutrition 2014; 32: 634-645.
8. El-Sobkey S, Al-Hazzaa HM. Heart rate and perceptual responses to graded leg and arm ergometry in healthy college-aged Saudis: Effects of gender and exercise mode. J Novel Physiotherapy & Physical Rehabilitation 2014; 1 (3): 111.
9. Al-Hazzaa HM, Alahmadi MA, Al-Sobayel H, Abahussain N, Qahwaji D, Musaiger AO. Patterns and Determinants of Physical Activity among Saudi youth. J Physical Activity & Health 2014, 11: 1202-1211.
10. Khalaf A, Westergren A, Ekblom Ö, Al-Hazzaa HM, Berggren V. Nurses’ views and experiences of caring for malnourished patients in surgical settings in Saudi Arabia: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing 2014; 13: 29. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6955-13-29.
11. Allafi A, Al-Haifi A, Al-Fayez M, Al-Athari B, Al-Ajmi F, Al-Hazzaa HM, Musaiger AO, Ahmed F. Physical activity, sedentary behaviours and dietary habits among Kuwaiti adolescents: Gender differences. Public Health Nutrition 2014; 17: 2045-2052.
12. Duncan MJ, Al-Hazzaa HM, Al-Nakeeb Y, Al-Sobayel HI, Abahussain NA, Musaiger AO, Lyons M, Collins P, Nevill A. Anthropometric and Lifestyle characteristics of active and inactive Saudi and British adolescents. American J of Human Biology, 2014; 26: 635-642.
13. Tayyem RF, Al-Hazzaa HM, Abu-Mweis SS, Bawadi HA, Qatatsheh A, Musaiger AO. Association of lifestyle factors with obesity indices among Jordanian adolescents residents in Amman. Malysian J of Nutrition 2014; 20: 51-62.
14. Abu-Mweis SS Tayyem RF, Musaiger AO, Al-Hazzaa HM. Eating habits, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors of Jordanian adolescents' residents of Amman. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism 2014; 7: 67-74.
15. Al-Hazzaa HM, Musaiger AO, Abahussain N, Al-Sobayel H, Qahwaji D. Lifestyle correlates of self- reported sleep duration among Saudi adolescents: a multicenter school-based cross-sectional study. Child: Care, Health & Development 2014; 40: 533-542.
16. Tayyem RF, Al-Hazzaa HM, Abu-Mweis SS, Bawadi HA, Hammad SS, Musaiger AO. Dietary and lifestyle factors among Jordanian adolescents attending private versus public Schools. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2014; 20: 416-423.
17. Al-Hazzaa HM. Joint association of body mass index and waist to height ratio with sleep duration among Saudi adolescents. Annals of Human Biology 2014; 41 920; 109-115.
18. Musaiger AO, Al-Mufty BA, Al-Hazzaa HM. Eating habits, Inactivity and sedentary behaviors among adolescents in Iraq: Gender differences in the hidden risks of non-communicable diseases. Food & Nutrition Bulletin; 2014; 35 (1): 12-19.
19. Al-Hazzaa HM, Al-Sobayel H, Abahussain N, Qahwaji D, Alahmadi MA, Musaiger AO. Association of dietary habits with physical activity and screen time among adolescents living in Saudi Arabia. J Human Nutrition & Dietetics 2014; 27 (Suppl 2): 204-213.
20. Al-Hazzaa HM, Al-Nakeeb Y, Duncan MJ, Al-Sobayel HI, Abahussain NA, Musaiger AO, Lyons M, Collins P, Nevill A. A cross-cultural comparison of health behaviors between Saudi and British adolescents living in urban area: Gender by country analyses. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013; 10: 6701-6720.
21. Al-Kilani H, Al-Hazzaa HM, Waly M, Musaiger AO. Lifestyle habits: Diet, physical activity and sleep duration among Omani adolescents. SQU Med J 2013; 4: 510-519.
22. Khalaf A, Ekblom Ö , Kowalski J, Berggren V, Westergren A, Al-Hazzaa HM. Female university students’ physical activity levels and associated factors – a cross sectional study in South Western Saudi Arabia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013; 10: 3502-3517; doi:10.3390/ijerph10083502.
23. Al-Haifi A, Al-Fayez M, Al-Athari B, Al-Ajmi F, Al-lafi A, Al-Hazzaa HM, Musaiger AO. The relative contribution of physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits to the prevalence of obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents. Food & Nutrition Bulletin; 2013; 34 (1): 6-13.
24. Al-Hazzaa HM, Musaiger AO, Abahussain N, Al-Sobayel H, Qahwaji D. Prevalence of short sleep duration and its association with obesity among Saudi adolescents. Annals of Thoracic Medicine 2012; 7 (3): 133-139.
25. Al-Hazzaa HM, Abahussain N, Al-Sobayel H, Qahwaji D, Musaiger AO. Lifestyle factors associated with overweight and obesity among Saudi adolescents. BMC Public Health; 2012; 12: 354.
26. Al-Hazzaa HM, Al-Sobayel H, Musaiger AO. Lifestyle pattern among Saudi secondary school students in Riyadh. Arab J for Food & Nutrition; 2012; 12 (29): 33-53.
27. Al-Nakeeb Y, Lyons M, Al-Nuaim, Al-Hazzaa HM, Collins P, Duncan M, Nevill A. Cross-cultural differences in levels of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and obesity amongst youth from the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2012; 9: 1490-1506.
28. Al-Hazzaa HM. The reliability of an Arabic translation of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test. Saudi Med J 2012; 33: 459-461.
29. Musaiger AO, Al-Hazzaa HM. Prevalence and risk factors associated with nutrition-related non- communicable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. International Journal of General Medicine 2012; 5: 199-217.
30. Al-Nuaim A, Al-Nakeeb Y, Lyons M, Al-Hazzaa HM, et al. The prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behaviours relative to obesity among adolescents from Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: Rural versus urban variations. J Nutrition & Metabolism 2012; Volume 2012, Article ID 417589.
31. Al-Hazzaa HM, Abahussain N, Al-Sobayel H, Qahwaji D, Musaiger AO. Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviors and Dietary Habits among Saudi Adolescents Relative to Age, Gender and Region. Int J Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity 2011; 8: 140.
32. Khalaf A, Berggren V, Al-Hazzaa HM, Bergström S, Westergren A. Underweight, overweight and obesity prevalence in hospital patients in Saudi Arabia. J of Nutritional Disorders & Therapy 2011; 1: 104.
33. Al-Hazzaa HM, Musaiger AO, ATLS Research Group. Arab Teens Lifestyle Study (ATLS): Objectives, design, methodology and implications. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy 2011; 4: 417-426.
34. Al-Hazzaa HM, Al-Sobayel HI, Musaiger AO. Convergent validity of the Arab Teens Lifestyle Study (ATLS) physical activity questionnaire. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2011; 8: 3810-3820.
35. Bauman A, Ainsworth BE, Sallis JF, Hagströmer M, Craig CL, Bull FC, Pratt M, Venugopal K, Chau J, Sjöström M; IPS Group. The Descriptive Epidemiology of Sitting: A 20-Country Comparison Using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Am J Prev Med 2011; 41 (2): 228- 235.
36. Musaiger A, Al-Hazzaa H, Al-Qahtani A, et al. Strategy to combat obesity and to promote physical activity in Arab countries. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy 2011; 4 89–97.
37. Al-Hazzaa H. Physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia. An underserved public health issue. Saudi Med J 2010; 31 (11): 1278-1279.
38. Al-Hazzaa H, Musaiger A, and ATLS Group. Physical activity patterns and eating habits of adolescents living in major Arab cities: The Arab Teens Lifestyle Study. Saudi Med J 2010, 31 (2): 210-211.