Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

Background This study was designed to assess physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviour amongst primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.Methods A cross-sectional study was adopted to assess the patterns and levels of PA and sedentary behaviour using the Physic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:South African family practice 2022-03, Vol.64 (1), p.e1-e8
Main Authors: Gomwe, Howard, Seekoe, Eunice, Lyoka, Philemon, Marange, Chioneso S., Mafa, Dennyford
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Analysis
Child
children
Cross-Sectional Studies
Exercise
Female
Humans
Learners
Male
Muscles
Original Research
Physical activity
Schools
Sedentary Behavior
Sedentary behaviour
South Africa
South Africa - epidemiology
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Summary:Background This study was designed to assess physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviour amongst primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.Methods A cross-sectional study was adopted to assess the patterns and levels of PA and sedentary behaviour using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). The sample consisted of primary school learners, both boys and girls, aged 9–14 years. The learners were randomly selected from rural, urban and peri-urban areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.Results Using a complete case analysis, 870 randomly selected participants (boys = 351 and girls = 519) aged 9–14 years were retained. Overall, the sample had a low mean PAQ-C score of 2.33 ± 0.43. The mean of PA in boys was significantly higher (p = 0.003) in comparison with the girls. The 13- to 14-age group had significantly higher PA levels (p = 0.014). Learners from urban areas (n = 136; 77.3%) engaged more in sedentary behaviour compared to those from rural areas (n = 252; 54.9%).Conclusion The findings demonstrated low levels of PA and high engagement of sedentary behaviour across the combined gender groups, which have negative implications on health, growth and development of children. The study, therefore, recommends relevant stakeholders to implement interventions aimed at promoting an increase in PA and a reduction in sedentary behaviours for primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
ISSN:2078-6190
2078-6204
DOI:10.4102/safp.v64i1.5381