Avril Johnstone

Dr. Avril Johnstone is a Research Fellow at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, part of the University of Glasgow's School of Health and Wellbeing. Her work focuses on active play, physical activity, and nature-based interventions for children's health and wellbeing. She holds a PhD in Physical Activity and Health from the University of Strathclyde (2019), with prior experience in local authority coaching and non-executive director roles in Actify CIC.

Her research explores how outdoor play, physical activity, and natural environments contribute to child development. Methodological strengths include systematic reviews and intervention design. Key projects include managing the School Playgrounds for Wellbeing study, leading health inequalities analyses for GroundsWell, and supporting SPACES research.

Recent work includes evaluating Scotland's Active Healthy Kids Report Card (2021), analyzing adolescents' digital device usage impacts, and developing low-cost methods to assess nature-based childcare effects. She has contributed to over 18 peer-reviewed publications since 2016, focusing on public health, child development, and policy evaluation.

Funded by the Medical Research Council (2024–2026), her current research agenda addresses cross-sectoral policy and places' role in children's health. Grants also include studies on social connectedness and nature spaces.