Catherine Draper

Catherine Draper is a Senior Researcher in the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand, and is also affiliated to the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. Catherine has a background in Psychology and the social sciences, and obtained her PhD in Public Health in 2005. Her research interests have included the development and evaluation of school- and community-based physical activity interventions for children and youth, including sport-for-development programmes. Catherine is particularly interested in movement behaviours and cognitive development in preschool children from low-income settings in South Africa, and is working on the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative to promote health and development in early childhood, starting preconception. She led the development of the South African 24-hour Movement Guidelines for Birth to 5 Years, and is currently leading dissemination of these guidelines.