Thomas Birkedal Stenqvist

Associate Professor Department of Sport Science and Physical Education

Email: thomas.b.stenqvist@uia.no
Phone: +47 38 14 24 16
Mobile phone: +47 45 29 06 21
Office: I3049 (Universitetsveien 25, 4630 Kristiansand, Norway)

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Background and experience

Thomas Birkedal Stenqvist is an Associate Professor in Friluftsliv at the University of Agder. He has an interdisciplinary background in friluftsliv, physical education, and pedagogy, with academic training from the University of Southern Denmark, the University of South-Eastern Norway, and the University of Agder (UiA). He completed his PhD at UiA in 2021.

Stenqvist has extensive teaching experience across higher education, upper secondary school, and folk high schools. He has been teaching at UiA since 2015 and has played a key role in the development and delivery of both practical and theoretical courses in friluftsliv. He serves as coordinator and course leader for the faculty’s English-language program Outdoor Education, and is also a central contributor to teacher education (EVU) programs related to water competence in an outdoor environment.

He holds several certifications through the Norwegian Paddle Association, including Sea Kayak expert guide (Veileder hav), Canoe Activity Leader (aktivitesleder kano), Outdoor Lifesaving Activity Leader (aktivitetsleder livredning ute), and White water kayak safety Course (Sikkerhetskurs elv). He is also a certified Indoor Climbing Wall Instructor through the Norwegian Climbing Federation, a First Aid Instructor through the Red Cross, and a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Research

Research topics in outdoor education:

Decision-making and risk assessment

Situational awareness

Decision-making processes

Formal and informal competence in outdoor education

Traditional outdoor activities

Energy balance during demanding expeditions type outdoor education

Research groups

ROPE: Research in Outdoor and Physical Education

Laxdal, Aron Gauti; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Aasland, Erik (2025). ‘She was a rare diamond’: teachers’ experiences of teaching a visually impaired student in a friluftsliv programme. Sport, Education and Society. ISSN 1357-3322. p. 1–13. doi: 10.1080/13573322.2025.2488367. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Previous research into inclusive practices and adapted education in higher education have shown that educators appear to have limited knowledge and understanding of disabilities and inclusion. While there exists a plethora of research on disabled students in higher education in general, there is a dearth of research on disability in movement contexts within higher education, especially in the field of friluftsliv. The aim of this study was to explore the insights of university educators who instructed a visually impaired student in an outdoor education programme. The four teachers who participated in practical sessions with the student were interviewed using a semi-structured interview method. Three themes were constructed through a thematic analysis; ‘An enriching experience for us’, ‘She was a rare diamond and this is why we succeeded’ and ‘Her needs were secondary to the value of the activities’. While the teachers regarded getting the student through the programme as a success, they also appear to possess a rather narrow understanding of adapted education, although this may not have hampered the learning outcomes of the student, due to her motivation and prior experiences in a friluftsliv context. However, such understandings may inhibit the teachers’ abilities to adapt the programme to future students with disabilities.
Pedersen, Signe; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Østrem, Ketil (2024). Å ta gode og trygge beslutninger i friluftsliv. In Røynesdal, Øystein & Thorjussen, Ingfrid M. (Ed.), Kroppsøving i praksis: læreplanbegreper, klasseledelse og undervisningsmetode. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215063744. p. 125–141. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Bere, Elling Tufte (2024). How traditional Norwegian outdoor activities are changing; a 10-year follow up in relation to sociodemographic factors. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 6. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1355776. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Introduction: The study aims to evaluate the relationship between sociodemographic factors and changes in Norwegian outdoor activities between 2008 and 2018. Traditional outdoor activities, such as family trips in nature, the gathering of mushrooms and wild berries, and growing one's own plants to eat, are believed to have a positive impact on physical activity levels and health in general. Method: This study includes repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted in 38 randomly selected schools across two Norwegian counties. In 2008, 1,012 parents of 6th and 7th grade students from 27 schools completed a questionnaire. In 2018, 609 new parents from 25 schools participated. Variables were dichotomized. Descriptive analyses between groups were conducted using chi-square statistics. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed with the three outdoor activities as dependent variables, including year only (model 1), and then also gender, age (continuous), education (own and partners), and household income as independent variables (model 2). Results: Participation in weekly family trips in nature increased from 22% to 28% (p = 0.002), the OR for year 2018 vs. year 2008 was 1.51. Adjusted for sociodemographic factors, the OR remained stable and significant. Education was the only significant sociodemographic factor (OR = 1.60), indicating the odds of those with a higher education to be 60% higher to engage in weekly family trips in nature. Gathering of wild mushrooms and plants remained stable with time. Being female (OR = 1.44), age (OR = 1.049) and education (OR = 1.49) was related to gathering. An increase in growing plants to eat was observed with an increase from 42% to 51% (p < 0.001), OR = 1.33. However, it did not remain significant in model 2. Education was, in general, positively related to growing food (OR = 1.35). Conclusion: We observed a positive increase in family trips in nature over the period from 2008 to 2018. Furthermore, elder parents seem to be more involved in the long-rooted traditional Norwegian grow- and gather culture, and a social gradient is apparent as those with higher education do participate more often in traditional outdoor activities.
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Øvrevik, Geir (2023). Energy balance during outdoor education winter training: a pilot study. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2023.2196639. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Learning in the mountains during winter prepares upcoming guides for tough environments by placing demands on their energy intake and enabling them to cope with a complex environment. However, few studies have explored energy intake and expenditure in outdoor education. Thus, energy intake during a 24-hour winter mountain course was investigated in a Norwegian educational context, where students must absorb large volumes of information in a challenging environment. Twenty university students (11 men, 9 women) underwent body composition, weighed energy intake, and accelerometry-based energy expenditure measurements. Overall, the students had an energy deficit of>2,300 kilo-calories/day, corresponding to an energy balance of 62% for men and 54% for women (p > 0.05), despite having received lectures on energy requirements in advance. This sustained stress context combined with challenging environmental conditions and insufficient energy intake can predispose students to early exhaustion, injury risk, and potentially reduced information processing that may limit learning
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Melin, Anna Katarina & Torstveit, Monica Klungland (2023). Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) Indicators in Male Adolescent Endurance Athletes: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study. Nutrients. 15(24). doi: 10.3390/nu15245086. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Longitudinal measurements of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) among adolescent male elite athletes are lacking. We aimed to monitor REDs indicators and their possible impact on performance in elite high-school cross-country skiing and biathlon athletes (n = 13) (16.3 ± 0.4 years, 179.4 ± 7.6 cm, 63.6 ± 8.2 kg body mass (BM), and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak): 61.5 ± 5.3 mL/kg BM/min) every 6 months for 3 years. Protocols included assessments of energy availability (EA), body composition and bone mineral density (BMD), resting metabolic rate (RMR), disordered eating behavior, exercise addiction, VO2peak, and muscle strength. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model. At baseline, 38% had low lumbar BMD (Z-score ≤ −1), and overall, bone health increased only slightly. VO2peak and muscle strength improved (p < 0.001), RMR decreased (p = 0.016), and no change was observed in EA or physiological or psychological REDs indicators. Conclusively, many of these young male athletes had poor bone health at baseline, and most either lost or did not achieve the expected pubertal bone mineral accrual, although no other indication of REDs was observed, while performance improved during the study period. Our findings highlight the importance of elite sports high schools focusing on screening for early detection of impaired bone health in male athletes.
Lundy, Bronwen; Torstveit, Monica Klungland; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Burke, Louise M.; Garthe, Ina & Slater, Gary [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2022). Screening for Low Energy Availability in Male Athletes: Attempted Validation of LEAM-Q. Nutrients. 14(9). doi: 10.3390/nu14091873. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Melin, Anna Katarina; Garthe, Ina; Slater, Gary; Paulsen, Gøran & Iraki, Juma [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2021). Prevalence of Surrogate Markers of Relative Energy Deficiency in Male Norwegian Olympic-Level Athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism. ISSN 1526-484X. 31(6), p. 497–506. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0368. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The syndrome of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) includes wide-ranging effects on physiological and psychological functioning, performance, and general health. However, RED-S is understudied among male athletes at the highest performance levels. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate surrogate RED-S markers prevalence in Norwegian male Olympic-level athletes. Athletes (n = 44) aged 24.7 ± 3.8 years, body mass 81.3 ± 15.9 kg, body fat 13.7% ± 5.8%, and training volume 76.1 ± 22.9 hr/month were included. Assessed parameters included resting metabolic rate (RMR), body composition, and bone mineral density by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and venous blood variables (testosterone, free triiodothyronine, cortisol, and lipids). Seven athletes (16%) grouped by the presence of low RMR (RMRratio < 0.90) (0.81 ± 0.07 vs. 1.04 ± 0.09, p < .001, effect size 2.6), also showed lower testosterone (12.9 ± 5.3 vs. 19.0 ± 5.3 nmol/L, p = .020) than in normal RMR group. In low RMRratio individuals, prevalence of other RED-S markers (—subclinical—low testosterone, low free triiodothyronine, high cortisol, and elevated low-density lipoprotein) was (N/number of markers): 2/0, 2/1, 2/2, 1/3. Low bone mineral density (z-score < −1) was found in 16% of the athletes, all with normal RMR. Subclinical low testosterone and free triiodothyronine levels were found in nine (25%) and two (5%) athletes, respectively. Subclinical high cortisol was found in 23% of athletes while 34% had elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Seven of 12 athletes with two or more RED-S markers had normal RMR. In conclusion, this study found that multiple RED-S markers also exist in male Olympic-level athletes. This highlights the importance of regular screening of male elite athletes, to ensure early detection and treatment of RED-S.
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Torstveit, Monica Klungland; Faber, Jens & Melin, Anna Katarina (2020). Impact of a 4-Week Intensified Endurance Training Intervention on Markers of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Performance Among Well-Trained Male Cyclists. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 11. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.512365. Full text in Research Archive
Torstveit, Monica Klungland; Fahrenholtz, Ida Lysdahl; Lichtenstein, Mia Beck; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Melin, Anna Katarina (2019). Exercise dependence, eating disorder symptoms and biomarkers of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) among male endurance athletes. BMJ Open sport & exercise medicine. 5(1). doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000439. Full text in Research Archive
Hanstock, Helen; Govus, Andrew; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Melin, Anna Katarina; Sylta, Øystein & Torstveit, Monica Klungland (2019). Influence of Immune and Nutritional Biomarkers on Illness Risk During Interval Training. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (IJSPP). ISSN 1555-0265. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2018-0527. Full text in Research Archive
Torstveit, Monica Klungland; Fahrenholtz, Ida Lysdahl; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Sylta, Øystein & Melin, Anna (2018). Within-day Energy Deficiency and Metabolic Perturbation in Male Endurance Athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism. ISSN 1526-484X. 28(4), p. 419–427. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0337. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Endurance athletes are at increased risk of relative energy deficiency associated with metabolic perturbation and impaired health. We aimed to estimate and compare within-day energy balance in male athletes with suppressed and normal resting metabolic rate (RMR) and explore whether within-day energy deficiency is associated with endocrine markers of energy deficiency. A total of 31 male cyclists, triathletes, and long-distance runners recruited from regional competitive sports clubs were included. The protocol comprised measurements of RMR by ventilated hood and energy intake and energy expenditure to predict RMRratio (measured RMR/predicted RMR), energy availability, 24-hr energy balance and within-day energy balance in 1-hr intervals, assessment of body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and blood plasma analysis. Subjects were categorized as having suppressed (RMRratio 0.90, n = 11) RMR. Despite there being no observed differences in 24-hr energy balance or energy availability between the groups, subjects with suppressed RMR spent more time in an energy deficit exceeding 400 kcal (20.9 [18.8-21.8] hr vs. 10.8 [2.5-16.4], p = .023) and had larger single-hour energy deficits compared with subjects with normal RMR (3,265 ± 1,963 kcal vs. -1,340 ± 2,439, p = .023). Larger single-hour energy deficits were associated with higher cortisol levels (r = -.499, p = .004) and a lower testosterone:cortisol ratio (r = .431, p = .015), but no associations with triiodothyronine or fasting blood glucose were observed. In conclusion, within-day energy deficiency was associated with suppressed RMR and catabolic markers in male endurance athletes.

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Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Østrem, Ketil (2024). Kapittel 7 Å ta gode og trygge beslutninger i friluftsliv Bok: Kroppsøving i praksis. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215063744. 12 p. Full text in Research Archive

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Gjølme, Egil Galaaen; Pedersen, Andreas Mathingsdal & Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal (2025). Læring i strømmende vann - og en viktig påminnelse om varsling. Livredning. ISSN 0805-6323. Full text in Research Archive
Pedersen, Andreas Mathingsdal & Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal (2025). EVU Svømming, selvberging og livredning - elv. doi: https:/www.uia.no/studier/program/evu-svoemme-og-livredningsferdigheter-utendoers/. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Videreutdanningen er samlingsbasert med 4 undervisningsdager. Samlingene vil bestå av teoretiske og praktiske økter. Det er obligatorisk undervisning i emnet. Emnet har et arbeidsomfang på 135 timer og går over 1 semester.
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Øvrevik, Geir (2024). Lærer i friluftsliv – med erfaring eller sertifikat? Fædrelandsvennen. ISSN 0805-3790. Full text in Research Archive
Østrem, Ketil & Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal (2023). Trygg læring i friluftslivet. Full text in Research Archive
Laxdal, Aron Gauti; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Aasland, Erik (2022). Utfordringer og muligheter knyttet til tilpasset undervisning i friluftsliv: En kvalitativ case-studie. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal (2022). Vil du prestere bedre? lokalavisen fedrelandsvennen. Full text in Research Archive
Øvrevik, Geir & Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal (2021). Skole ved kysten. In Østrem, Ketil (Eds.), Nærmiljøfriluftsliv i skolen. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202675813. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Atkinson, Leonard Henry (2021). Kajakkpadling er enklere enn du tror. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Atkinson, Leonard Henry (2021). Kajakkpadling er enklere enn du tror. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Atkinson, Leonard Henry (2021). Kajakkpadling er enklere enn du tror. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Øvrevik, Geir (2021). Skole ved kysten. In Østrem, Ketil (Eds.), Nærmiljøfriluftsliv i skolen. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202675813. Full text in Research Archive
Byrkjedal, Per Thomas; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Torstveit, Monica Klungland; Bergsvik, Kristina & Spencer, Matthew (2020). No effect of a three-week post-season transition period on markers of RED-S in highly-trained male cyclists. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Øvrevik, Geir (2020). Motivational factors for participating in a Norwegian Outdoor education program. ECSS Conference Proceedings. ISSN 2188-1154. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Bere, Elling Tufte (2020). How traditional Norwegian outdoor activities are changing; a 10 year follow up. ECSS Conference Proceedings. ISSN 2188-1154. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Melin, Anna Katarina; Garthe, Ina; Slater, Gary; Paulsen, Gøran & Torstveit, Monica Klungland (2020). RELATIVE ENERGY DEFICIENCY IN SPORT AMONG MALE NORWEGIAN WORLD-CLASS ATHLETES. Full text in Research Archive
Coward, Espen; Spencer, Matthew & Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal (2020). TRAINING METHODS AND INTENSITY DISTRIBUTION OF YOUNG ELITE ENDURANCE ATHLETES: A TWO-YEAR LONGITUDI- NAL STUDY. Full text in Research Archive
Melin, Anna Katarina; Fahrenholtz, Ida Lysdahl; Lichtenstein, Mia Beck; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Torstveit, Monica Klungland (2019). Exercise dependence, eating disorder symptoms and biomarkers of relative energy deficiency among male endurance athletes. Full text in Research Archive
Torstveit, Monica Klungland; Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal & Melin, Anna Katarina (2019). Effects Of An Intensified Training Period On Resting Metabolic Rate, Energy Availability, Blood-biomarkers And Performance. Full text in Research Archive
Stenqvist, Thomas Birkedal; Torstveit, Monica Klungland & Melin, Anna Katarina (2021). Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) among Norwegian male athletes. Energy availability, health, and performance among male athletes at different age and performance levels. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284270531. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is a syndrome where low energy availability (LEA) has a negative impact on health [e.g., endocrine and metabolic alterations, reproductive dysfunction, impaired bone mineral density (BMD)] and performance. In females, the development and prevalence of RED-S have been well-investigated. However, research on males of all ages and performance levels is lacking. The overall aim of this dissertation was therefore to investigate RED-S among Norwegian male athletes at different age and performance levels. Three independent studies have been performed, and three original papers are included in this dissertation. The aims of Studies I and II were to investigate RED-S in well-trained and Olympic-level adult athletes, whereas Study III investigated RED-S among adolescent athletes attending elite sport high schools. Study I investigated how a four-week intensified endurance training period specifically designed to increase aerobic performance would affect markers of RED-S, including resting metabolic rate (RMR), body composition and bone health, energy intake (EI), and metabolic and endocrine markers in well-trained cyclists. Study II investigated the prevalence of surrogate RED-S markers in a cohort of Norwegian Olympic-level athletes using similar markers as in Study I, including RMR, body composition, bone health, and altered metabolic and endocrine markers. Study III investigated RED-S in adolescent endurance athletes attending Norwegian elite sport high schools over a three-year period, with special attention to bone health, energy availability (EA), RMR, as well as aerobic performance and muscular strength.

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Published Apr. 16, 2024 11:09 AM - Last modified Oct. 13, 2025 12:37 PM