David Friesen

Dr. David Friesen is a researcher at the Institute of Movement and Neuroscience, German Sport University Cologne. He is actively involved in projects related to health promotion, childhood obesity, fitness, and workplace wellness. His work includes third-party funded research and collaborations with key figures such as Christine Joisten and Nina Ferrari.

Research Interests: His primary research areas include childhood obesity, psychosocial health, self-concept in children, cardiovascular endurance, and workplace health interventions. He investigates how physical activity and behavioral changes impact health outcomes across urban and rural populations, particularly in children and working adults.

The recent publications show a strong trend in interdisciplinary research combining sports science, pediatrics, psychology, and public health. His work often involves longitudinal data analysis, validation of fitness tests, and evaluation of preventive health programs.

Scientific Projects:

• FoCo-Active: Urban-rural comparison in Tanzania focusing on nutrition and exercise behavior (2022–2025).
• Bewegungscoach Jugendzentrum: Youth center movement coaching (2022–2024).
• Evaluation of the Occupational Physician as Navigator for preventive care (2019–2022).
• SURF: Stress Reduction and Resilience Promotion (2018–2021).
• Schrittekampagne LVR 2.0: Step campaign (2018–2019).

Advising and Grants: Dr. Friesen has led and co-led multiple externally funded projects, demonstrating leadership in grant acquisition and research execution. He frequently collaborates with interdisciplinary teams across departments. While no formal advisees are listed, his collaborative network includes PhD students and scientific staff.

Labs and Teams: He is embedded in a robust research network within the Institute of Movement and Neuroscience and collaborates with the Institute for Circulatory Research and Sports Medicine. His work is highly collaborative, involving teams focused on preventive medicine, sports game research, and molecular sports medicine.