Professor

Professor Cindy Sit is a Fellow of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA), the Asian Society for Adapted Physical Education and Exercise (ASAPE), and the Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Science (HKASMSS). She leads the Exercise Psychology and Motor Learning Laboratory, which investigates movement behaviours and physical activity interventions on motor skills, psychosocial and mental health outcomes in individuals facing disabilities or structural barriers. Currently, Cindy serves as President of IFAPA and chairs the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA). She has published over 170 scientific papers and is ranked among the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University.

• Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of children and adolescents with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Adapted physical activity and school-based interventions

1. Dastamooz S, Wong SHS, Yang Y, Arbour-Nicitopoulos K, Ho RTH, Yam JCS, Tham CCY, Liu C, Sit CHP*. Efficacy of a short-term physical exercise intervention on stress biomarkers and mental health in adolescents with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2026;393:120285. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120285.
2. Liu C, Wong SH, Arbour-Nicitopoulos K, Ho RT, Yang Y, Liang X, Leung A, Cheung JS, Dastamooz S, Sit CHP*. Effects of physical activity on suicidal ideation and sleep disturbances in adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2026;393:120369. doi: 10.1016/j-jad.2025.120369.
3. Tao R, Yang Y, Wilson M, Chang JR, Liu C, Sit CHP*. Comparative effectiveness of physical activity interventions on cognitive functions in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2025;22:6.
   doi: 10.1186/s12966-024-01702-7.
4. Liu C, Liang X, Sit CHP*. Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics 2024;178(3):247-257. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6251
5. Feng J, Huang WYJ, Sit CHP, Reilly JJ, Khan A. Effectiveness of a parent-focused intervention targeting 24-hour movement behaviours in preschool-aged children: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2024;21(1):98. doi: 10.1186/s12966-024-01650-2.
6. Dastamooz S, Sadeghi-Bahmani D, Farahani MHD, Wong SHS, Yam JCS, Tham CCY, Sit CHP*. The efficacy of physical exercise interventions on mental health, cognitive function, and ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents with ADHD: An umbrella review. eClinicalMedicine 2023;62:102137. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102137
7. Liang X, Qiu H, Wang P, Sit CHP*. The impacts of a combined exercise on executive function in children with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 2022;32:1297-1312.
   doi: 10.1111/sms.14192
8. Sit CHP, Aubert S, Carty C, Silva DAS, López-Gil JF, Asunta P, Palad Y, Guisihan R, Lee J, Arbour Nicitopoulos KP, Vanderloo LM, Stanish H, Haegele J, Urbański PK, Pozeriene J, Hutzler Y, Ng K. Promoting physical activity among children and adolescents with disabilities: The translation of policy to practice internationally. Journal of Physical Activity and Health 2022;19:758-768. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2022-0351
9. Liang X, Li R, Wong SHS, Sum RKW, Sit CHP*. The effects of exercise intervention on executive functions in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine 2021;18:68.
   doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01545-3
10. Sit CHP*, Yu JJ, Wong SHS, Capio CM, Masters R. A school-based physical activity intervention for children with developmental coordination disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Research in Developmental Disabilities 2019;89:1-9.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.03.004

• Jockey Club Move Without Borders Project. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, 2024-2027
• Battling sedentarism in children with special educational needs through inclusive physical activity. RGC Research Impact Fund (RIF), 2023-2026
• A randomized controlled trial of physical activity intervention on neurocognitive performance, mental health and behavioural outcomes of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. RGC General Research Fund (GRF), 2023-2025
• A cluster randomized controlled trial of school-based physical activity intervention on mental health and risk behaviours in adolescents with special educational needs. RGC General Research Fund (GRF), 2021-2023
• Promoting physical activity and health in children and youth with intellectual disabilities: A social-ecological approach. National Social Science Fund of China, 2019-2021 (Co-PI)
• A cluster randomized controlled trial of physical activity intervention on motor and cognitive functions and psychosocial outcomes of children with developmental coordination disorder. RGC General Research Fund (GRF), 2019-2022
• Jockey Club “Sports without Limits” Youth Empowerment Programme. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, 2018-2022

• Psychology for physical activity and exercise
• Motor learning

• World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University
• Top 50, Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientists in China, Research.com
• Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong 2022, 2023
• Research Excellence Award, CUHK, 2019
• Exemplary Teaching Award, Faculty of Education, CUHK, 2012, 2015

• Associate Editor, Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Archives of Public Health, Frontier in Education
• Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness
• Mentor, Asia Pacific Women in Leadership (APWiL) Mentoring Program, APRU (Association of Pacific Rim Universities)
• Founding President, The Society for Adapted Physical Activity of Hong Kong, China
• Honorary Advisor, “Active Students, Active People” (ASAP) Campaign, Physical Education Section, Education Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government
• Member, Advisory Committee on Private Schools, Education Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government
• Member, School Allocation Committee, Education Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government
• Member, Assessment and Monitoring Sub-committee, Quality Education Fund, Education Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government
• Member, Community Sports Committee, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong SAR Government
• Deputy Convenor, Student Sport Co-ordinating Sub-Committee, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong SAR Government
• Subject Specialist, Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications
• Member, Incorporated Management Committee (IMC), CUHKFAA Chan Chun Ha Secondary School