Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Volume 16, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16020232
Keywords
body mass index; cardiorespiratory fitness; intestinal protozoa; physical activity programme; school-aged children; soil-transmitted helminths; South Africa
Funding
- Swiss National Science Foundation (Bern, Switzerland) [IZLSZ3 149015]
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists (Bern, Switzerland)
- National Research Foundation (Pretoria, South Africa) [87397]
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [IZLSZ3_149015] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Obesity-related conditions impose a considerable and growing burden on low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa. We aimed to assess the effect of twice a 10-week multidimensional, school-based physical activity intervention on children's health in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. A cluster-randomised controlled trial was implemented from February 2015 to May 2016 in grade 4 classes in eight disadvantaged primary schools. Interventions consisted of physical education lessons, moving-to-music classes, in-class activity breaks and school infrastructure enhancement to promote physical activity. Primary outcomes included cardiorespiratory fitness, body mass index (BMI) and skinfold thickness. Explanatory variables were socioeconomic status, self-reported physical activity, stunting, anaemia and parasite infections. Complete data were available from 746 children. A significantly lower increase in the mean BMI Z-score (estimate of difference in mean change: -0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.24 to -0.09; p < 0.001) and reduced increase in the mean skinfold thickness (difference in mean change: -1.06; 95% CI: -1.83 to -0.29; p = 0.007) was observed in intervention schools. No significant group difference occurred in the mean change of cardiorespiratory fitness (p > 0.05). These findings show that a multidimensional, school-based physical activity intervention can reduce the increase in specific cardiovascular risk factors. However, a longer and more intensive intervention might be necessary to improve cardiorespiratory fitness.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available