Acceptability and perceived feasibility of the KaziKidz health promotion intervention among educators and caregivers in schools from South Africa: a qualitative descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the uncontested benefits of physical activity, its promotion lags behind in the public health agenda of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). School-based interventions are promising strategies to foster health during childhood, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited and inconclusive for LMICs. Thus, further investigation is needed on contextual factors associated with intervention implementation in low-resource settings. We studied the acceptability and feasibility of the KaziKidz health promotion intervention and its implementation and make recommendations to improve future adoption and sustainability. METHODS: KaziKidz was implemented in four primary schools from low-income communities in South Africa in 2019. Semi-structured interviews with four school principals, three focus group interviews with 16 educators, and another three with 16 caregivers were conducted between October and November 2021. Participants were purposively recruited. Interview transcripts were analyzed via thematic analysis using a deductive and reflexive approach. RESULTS: Three main themes influencing intervention implementation and adoption were identified: (1) prioritizing teachers' needs (2), integrating the program into the school structure, and (3) creating opportunities in the community. Supporting recommendations included: (theme 1) adopting intervention approaches that are inclusive of educators' health and providing them with capacity development and external support; (theme 2) fostering a feeling of ownership and belonging among school stakeholders to adapt interventions to specific resources and needs; and (theme 3) raising community awareness to encourage individuals to claim power over and actively engage with the program. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive interventions comprising health support, adequate training, and ongoing assistance for educators combined with school-wide and community outreach actions seeking to strengthen program ownership, accountability, and engagement can enhance uptake of school-based interventions and long-term maintenance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN15648510, registered on 17/04/2020.

Impact of a school-based health intervention program on body composition among South African primary schoolchildren: results from the KaziAfya cluster-randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing among African children potentially predisposing them to greater obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adulthood. This risk may be higher among growth-impaired children who may have greater fat mass. Therefore, we examined the effects of school-based physical activity (PA) promotion and multi-micronutrient supplementation (MMNS) on body composition among South African children enrolled in a longitudinal school-based randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Children were cluster-randomized by class to one of four groups: (a) a physical activity group (PA), (b) a multi-micronutrient supplementation group (MMNS), (c) a physical activity + multi-micronutrient supplementation group (PA + MMNS), and (d) control group, and were being followed for 3 years. Linear random effects regression models with random intercepts for school classes tested the associations of each intervention arm with overall fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), truncal fat mass (TrFM), and truncal fat-free mass (TrFFM) at 9 months (T2) for boys and girls. These differences were then explored among children who differed in height velocity (HV). RESULTS: A total of 1304 children (614 girls, 667 boys) in twelve clusters were assessed at baseline and after 9 months follow-up (T2). At baseline, approximately 15% of children were classified as overweight or obese while approximately 38% of children were classified as mildly stunted or moderately/severely stunted. Among girls, promotion of PA was associated with reduced FM and TrFM at T2 while MMNS was associated with increased FFM. Children with reduced HV in the PA arm had reduced FM while children in the MMNS arm with lower HV had increased FM compared to children in the control arm. Similarly, children with lower HV in the MM and PA groups had reduced TrFM compared to children in the control arm. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the promotion of school-based physical activity programs and micronutrient supplementation can reduce childhood adiposity and so reduce the risk of obesity and chronic diseases later in adulthood. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN29534081 . Registered on August 9, 2018. The trial was designed, analyzed, and interpreted based on the CONSORT protocol (Additional file 1: CONSORT checklist for randomized trial).

Association between allergic sensitization and intestinal parasite infection in schoolchildren in Gqeberha, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Inconsistent data exist regarding the influence of parasitic infection on the prevalence of allergic sensitization and disorders. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of geohelminth and protozoan infections on sensitization patterns and allergic symptoms of children living in low-income communities in Gqeberha, South Africa. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 587 schoolchildren aged 8-12 years were recruited in June 2016 and screened for reactivity to common allergens by skin prick tests (SPTs) and for parasitic infections by stool examination. Additionally, questionnaires were completed to record allergic symptoms the children may have experienced. RESULTS: Positive SPTs were found in 237/587 children (40.4%), and about one-third of whom were polysensitized. Sensitizations were most frequently detected against the house dust mites (HDM) Dermatophagoides spp. (31.9%) and Blomia tropicalis (21.0%). Infections with geohelminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura) were found in 26.8% and protozoan infections (Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidia spp.) in 13.9% of study participants. Mixed logistic regression analyses revealed negative associations between parasite infection and sensitization to Blomia tropicalis (OR: 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.89) and to Dermatophagoides spp. (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.96), and between protozoan infection and allergic sensitization to any aeroallergen, although these associations were not significant when adjusted for false discovery. Geohelminth infection and intensity of geohelminth infection were both associated with reduced risk of polysensitization (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21-0.86), and this association remained significant with adjustment for false discovery. Reported respiratory symptoms were associated with HDM sensitization (ORs from 1.54 to 2.48), but not with parasite infection. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our data suggest that geohelminth infection and high geohelminth infection intensity are associated with a reduced risk of polysensitization.

How are academic achievement and inhibitory control associated with physical fitness, soil-transmitted helminth infections, food insecurity and stunting among South African primary schoolchildren?

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular fitness has been associated with both executive function and academic achievement in multiple cohort studies including children and adolescents. However, research is scarce among children from low- and middle-income countries. Hence, this paper focuses on South African primary schoolchildren living in marginalized areas and examines if academic achievement and inhibitory control can be explained by children's age, socioeconomic status, soil-transmitted helminth infections, food insecurity, stunting, grip strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness. METHODS: The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 1277 children (48% girls, mean age: 8.3 years). Data were assessed via questionnaires, stool samples, anthropometric measurements, 20 m shuttle run test, grip strength test, Flanker task, and school grades. Data were analysed with mixed linear regression models with random intercepts for school classes, separately for boys and girls. RESULTS: Higher socioeconomic status was most closely associated with academic achievement among boys (p < 0.05), whereas higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and not being stunted explained most variance in academic achievement in girls (p < 0.05). Higher age turned out to be associated with better performance in the Flanker task (p < 0.01). Additionally, in boys, higher grip strength was associated with better information processing and inhibitory control of attention (p < 0.01), whereas in girls, higher cardiorespiratory fitness levels were positively associated with these cognitive abilities (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Academic performance has been shown to be compromised in schoolchildren living in marginalised areas, compared to schoolchildren in less disadvantaged parts of South Africa. The present study suggests that cardiorespiratory fitness and grip strength are two potentially modifiable factors that are associated with children's academic achievement and cognitive performance, and that should be targeted in future school-based interventions.

Hypertension among South African children in disadvantaged areas and associations with physical activity, fitness, and cardiovascular risk markers: A cross-sectional study.

Childhood hypertension drives hypertension in later life; hence, assessing blood pressure in children is an important measure to determine current and future cardiovascular health. There is, however, a paucity of childhood blood pressure data, particularly for sub-Saharan Africa. This study explores blood pressure and associations with age, sex, socioeconomic status, physical activity, fitness, and cardiovascular risk markers. In the 'Disease, Activity and Schoolchildren's Health' (DASH) study, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Assessments included blood pressure, accelerometer-measured physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular risk markers. The study consisted of 785 children (383 boys, 402 girls, M = 12.4±0.9 years). Overall, 18% of the children were classified as hypertensive, while 20% were either overweight/obese, and almost four out of ten children did not meet global daily physical activity recommendations. Hypertensive children were more likely to be overweight/obese, χ2 (2,785) = 14.42, p < 0.01, but only if they did not meet physical activity recommendations, χ2 (2,295) = 11.93, p < 0.01. Considering the moderating effect which sufficient activity has on the relationship between hypertension and body weight, more emphasis should be placed on early primary health intervention and education strategies.

Communication Interface Manager for Improving Performance of Heterogeneous UAV Networks.

Exchanging messages with stable connections in missions composed of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) remains a challenge. The variations in UAV distances from each other, considering their individual trajectories, and the medium dynamic factors are important points to be addressed.In this context, to increase the stability of UAV-to-UAV (U2U) communication with link quality, this paper presents an interface manager (IM) that is capable of improving communication in multi-UAV networks.Given a predefined set of available individual wireless interfaces, the proposed IM dynamically defines the best interface for sending messages based on on-flight conditions sensed and calculated dynamically from the wireless medium. Different simulation scenarios are generated using a complex and realistic experimental setup composed of traditional simulators such as NS-3, Gazebo, and GzUAV. IEEE 802.11n 2.4 GHz and 802.11p 5 GHz interfaces are used for the IM selection. The IM performance is evaluated in terms of metrics from the medium-access-control (MAC) and physical layers, which aim to improve and maintain the connectivity between the UAVs during the mission, and from the application layer, which targets the reliability in the delivery of messages. The obtained results show that compared with the cases where a single interface is used, the proposed IM is able to increase the network throughput and presents the best proportion of transmitted and received packets, reception power (-60 dBm to -75 dBm), and loss (-80 dB to -85 dB), resulting in a more efficient and stable network connections.

Physical activity and dual disease burden among South African primary schoolchildren from disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

People from low- and middle-income countries still face challenges stemming from parasitic infections. Additionally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors are rapidly increasing, which puts South African children at an elevated risk of a dual disease burden, with negative consequences for child development and wellbeing. Contrastingly, regular physical activity (PA) is associated with decreased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine whether PA is associated with the double infection-CVD phenotype burden in South African schoolchildren. 801 children (402 boys, 399 girls; mean age 9.5 years) from eight schools from disadvantaged neighbourhoods were included. Data assessment took place between February and March 2015 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Children who achieved PA recommendations (physically active on 6-7 days/week for at least 60 min), who were active, but below recommended standards (2-5 physically active days/week), or who were insufficiently active on almost all days (0-1 physically active days/week) were compared with regard to systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, and infection with soil-transmitted helminths. Moderate and high self-reported PA levels were associated with lower BMI, lower body fat, and lower risk of being hypertensive. Conversely, children with high self-reported PA were more likely to be infected with soil-transmitted helminths than peers with low PA levels. Promoting PA in disadvantaged areas is worthwhile to prevent NCD later in life, but should be combined with regular anthelminthic treatment to comprehensively improve children's health and wellbeing.

Physical activity and health-related quality of life among schoolchildren from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

PURPOSE: The relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL), physical activity (PA), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among disadvantaged communities in low- and middle-income countries is poorly understood. In South Africa, children from socioeconomically deprived households are at an elevated risk of sedentary lifestyles and poor HRQoL. We examined whether higher self-reported PA and higher CRF levels are associated with better HRQoL in South African schoolchildren from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. METHODS: Overall, 832 children aged 8-12 years participated in this cross-sectional study. HRQoL was assessed through five dimensions of the KIDSCREEN-27 tool. Self-reported PA was measured using a single item of the Health-Behaviour of School-Aged Children test, and CRF with the 20-m shuttle run test. RESULTS: Higher self-reported PA was significantly and positively related to HRQoL. Significant, but small group differences existed across all dimensions of HRQoL between low and high self-reported PA. No significant associations were observed between CRF levels and HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Schoolchildren reporting PA of at least 60 min on at least 6 days a week (the recommended minimum) report higher HRQoL than their peers with lower PA levels.

Disease, activity and schoolchildren's health (DASH) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa: a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: An in-depth epidemiological investigation on intestinal parasite infections in an impoverished area of Port Elizabeth, South Africa provides a unique opportunity for research on its impact on children's physical fitness, cognitive performance and psychosocial health. Additionally, we will screen risk factors for the development of diabetes and hypertension in adulthood. METHODS/DESIGN: A 2-year longitudinal cohort study will be conducted, consisting of three cross-sectional surveys (baseline and two follow-ups), in eight historically black and coloured (mixed race) primary schools located in different townships in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Approximately 1000 Grade 4 primary schoolchildren, aged 8 to 12 years, will be enrolled and followed. At each survey, disease status, anthropometry and levels of physical fitness, cognitive performance and psychosocial health will be assessed. After each survey, individuals diagnosed with parasitic worm infections will be treated with anthelminthic drugs, while children with other infections will be referred to local clinics. Based on baseline results, interventions will be tailored to the local settings, embedded within the study and implemented in half of the schools, while the remaining schools will serve as controls. Implementation of the interventions will take place over two 8-week periods. The effect of interventions will be determined with predefined health parameters. DISCUSSION: This study will shed new light on the health burden incurred by children in deprived urban settings of South Africa and provide guidance for specific health interventions. Challenges foreseen in the conduct of this study include: (i) difficulty in obtaining written informed consent from parents/guardians; (ii) administration of questionnaires in schools where three languages are spoken (Afrikaans, Xhosa and English); (iii) challenges in grasping concepts of psychosocial health among schoolchildren using a questionnaire; and (iv) loss to follow-up due to the study setting where illiteracy, mobility and violence are common. Finally, designing the health interventions together with local principals and teachers will allow all concerned with the research to bolster a sense of community ownership and sustained use of the interventions after the study has ceased. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-trials.com; identifier: ISRCTN68411960 (date assigned: 14 February 2014).

Intervention effects and long-term changes in physical activity and cardiometabolic outcomes among children at risk of noncommunicable diseases in South Africa: a cluster-randomized controlled trial and follow-up analysis.

Introduction: Risk factors for noncommunicable diseases such as insufficient physical activity (PA), overweight or hypertension are becoming increasingly predominant among children globally. While school-based interventions are promising preventive strategies, evidence of their long-term effectiveness, especially among vulnerable populations, is scarce. We aim to assess the short-term effects of the physical and health KaziKidz intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors and the long-term, pre-and post-COVID-19 pandemic changes thereof in high-risk children from marginalized communities. Methods: The intervention was tested in a cluster-randomized controlled trial between January and October 2019 in eight primary schools near Gqeberha, South Africa. Children with overweight, elevated blood pressure, pre-diabetes, and/or borderline dyslipidemia were identified and re-assessed 2 years post-intervention. Study outcomes included accelerometry-measured PA (MVPA), body mass index (BMI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), glucose (HbA1c), and lipid levels (TC to HDL ratio). We conducted mixed regression analyses to assess intervention effects by cardiometabolic risk profile, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests to evaluate longitudinal changes in the high-risk subpopulation. Results: We found a significant intervention effect on MVPA during school hours for physically inactive children, and among active as well as inactive girls. In contrast, the intervention lowered HbA1c and TC to HDL ratio only in children with glucose or lipid values within the norm, respectively. At follow-up, the intervention effects were not maintained in at-risk children, who showed a decline in MVPA, and an increase in BMI-for-age, MAP, HbA1c and TC to HDL ratio. Conclusion: We conclude that schools are key settings in which to promote PA and improve health; however, structural changes are necessary to ensure that effective interventions reach marginalized school populations and achieve sustainable impact.

Relationship between Body Mass Index and Physical Activity among Children from Low-Income Communities in Gqeberha, South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to establish the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity, the level of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and the association thereof among vulnerable children from low-income communities in South Africa. Cross-sectional data were collected from 916 children (467 boys and 449 girls) aged 8-13 years (x̄ = 10.4 ± 1.2 years) attending eight low-income schools in Gqeberha, South Africa. Measured outcomes included accelerometery-measured physical activity (PA), weight, height and body mass index (BMI). Analysis of variance was used to determine the mean difference of total MVPA stratified by sex and BMI classification. Overall, 13% of the cohort were underweight, 19% were overweight/obese and 64% engaged in 60 min of MVPA per day. Girls presented nearly twice the odds of being overweight or obese than boys (95% CI: 1.40-2.77). Underweight to normal-weight children (boys: OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 2.18-6.93; girls: OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.13-2.80) were more likely to engage in 60 min/day of MVPA than overweight to obese children. There is an inverse association between BMI categories and theduration of MVPA achieved per day. Special attention should be aimed at increasing awareness of healthy nutrition and promoting a variety of PA, especially among girls and children with excess weight.

Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa.

BACKGROUND/AIM: School-aged children in low- and middle-income countries carry the highest burden of intestinal helminth infections, such as soil-transmitted helminths (STH). STH infections have been associated with negative consequences for child physical and cognitive development and wellbeing. With the epidemiological transition and rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD), studies have shown that helminth infections may influence glucose metabolism by preventing obesity. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the association of STH infections in schoolchildren from Gqeberha, focusing on physical activity, physical fitness, and clustered CVD risk score. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 680 schoolchildren (356 girls and 324 boys; mean age 8.19 years, SD±1.4) from disadvantaged communities in Gqeberha (formerly, Port Elizabeth), South Africa. Stool samples were collected and examined for STH infections using the Kato-Katz method. Physical activity (accelerometer) and physical fitness (grip strength, 20 m shuttle run) were measured using standard procedures. Furthermore, anthropometry, blood pressure, as well as glycated haemoglobin and lipid profile from capillary blood samples were assessed. We employed one-way ANOVAs to identify the associations of STH infections in terms of species and infection intensity with physical activity, physical fitness, and clustered CVD risk score. RESULTS: We found a low STH infection prevalence (7.2%) in our study, with participants infected with at least one intestinal helminth species. In comparison to their non-infected peers, children infected with STH had lower mean grip strength scores, but higher mean VO2max estimation and higher levels of MVPA (p < .001). When considering type and intensity of infection, a positive association of A. lumbricoides infection and MVPA was found. In contrast, light T. trichiura-infected children had significantly lower grip strength scores compared to non and heavily-infected children. VO2max and MVPA were positively associated with light T. trichiura infection. No significant association between the clustered CVD risk score and infection with any STH species was evident. CONCLUSIONS: STH-infected children had lower grip strength scores than their non-infected peers, yet, achieved higher VO2max and MVPA scores. Our study highlights that the type and intensity of STH infection is relevant in understanding the disease burden of STH infections on children's health. The findings of our study must be interpreted cautiously due to the low infection rate, and more research is needed in samples with higher prevalence rates or case-control designs.

Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, Weight Status, and Body Composition among South African Primary Schoolchildren.

Background: Over the past decades, childhood overweight has increased in many African countries. We examined the relationship between sedentary behaviour, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and body composition in South African primary schoolchildren living in peri-urban settings. Methods: MVPA was measured via 7-day accelerometry and body composition via bioelectrical impedance analysis in 1090 learners (49.2% girls, Mage = 8.3 ± 1.4 years). The relationships between MVPA and sedentary behaviour with the various body composition indicators (body fat and fat-free mass [total, truncal, arms, and legs], bone mass, muscle mass, and body water) were tested with mixed linear regressions. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 9.8% and 6.6%, respectively; 77.1% of the children engaged in ≥60 min of MVPA/day. Girls were more likely to be overweight/obese, to accumulate less than 60 min of MVPA/day, and had significantly higher relative body fat than boys (ps < 0.001). Lower MVPA was associated with a higher likelihood of being overweight/obese, higher relative body fat, and lower relative fat-free mass, bone mass, muscle mass, and body water (ps < 0.001). For lower sedentary behaviour, the associations with body composition pointed in the opposite direction. Conclusions: In this South African setting, girls are a particularly relevant target group for future physical activity interventions to prevent overweight/obesity-related non-communicable diseases in later life.

Practice Change Needed for the Identification of Pediatric Hypertension in Marginalized Populations: An Example From South Africa.

Introduction: Hypertension in children has increased globally over the past 20 years; yet, little is known about this issue among disadvantaged communities from low- and middle-income countries. Age-, sex-, and height-adjusted normative tables are the "gold" standard for the diagnosis and estimation of pediatric hypertension worldwide, but it is unclear whether the use of international standards is appropriate for all contexts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare different international references to identify hypertension among South African school-aged children from disadvantaged communities. Methods: Blood pressure, weight, and height were measured in a cohort of 897 children aged 8-16 years from eight peri-urban schools in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Cross-sectional prevalence of hypertension was calculated according to American, German, and global normative tables, as well as pseudo-normative data from the own study population. Isolated systolic hypertension and body mass index (BMI) were considered markers for cardiovascular disease. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare the likelihood of blood pressure categorization with increasing BMI levels. Results: Hypertension prevalence ranged from 11.4% with the pseudo-normative study tables to 28.8% based on the German reference. Global guidelines showed the highest agreement both among international standards (92.5% with American guidelines) and with the study reference (72.5%). While the global and the American references presented higher systolic over diastolic hypertension rates (23.6 vs. 10.6% and 24.2 vs. 14.7%, respectively), the American guidelines predicted the highest increased risk for hypertension stage 2 [odds ratio, 1.72 (95% confidence interval: 1.43-2.07)] with raising levels of BMI. Conclusion: Our results support the heterogeneity of blood pressure estimates found in the South African literature, and highlight the underrepresentation of African children in international guidelines. We call for caution in the use of international standards in different contexts and advocate for the development of normative tables that are representative of the South African pediatric population necessary to ensure an accurate identification of hypertension both from the clinical and epidemiological perspective.

Clustered cardiovascular disease risk among children aged 8-13 years from lower socioeconomic schools in Gqeberha, South Africa.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of individual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and clustered CVD risk among children attending schools in periurban areas of Gqeberha and to investigate the independent association between clustered CVD risk, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Methods: Baseline data were collected in a cross-sectional analysis of 975 children aged 8-13 years. We measured the height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, full lipid panel, 20 m shuttle run performance and accelerometry. The prevalence of individual risk factors was determined, and a clustered risk score (CRS) was constructed using principal component analysis. Children with an elevated CRS of 1 SD above the average CRS were considered 'at-risk'. Results: We found 424 children (43.3%) having at least one elevated CVD risk factor: 27.7% elevated triglycerides, 20.7% depressed high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and 15.9% elevated total cholesterol. An elevated clustered risk was identified in 17% (n=104) of the sample; girls exhibited a significantly higher CRS >1 SD than boys (p=0.036). The estimated odds of an elevated clustered risk are doubled every 2 mL/kg/min decrease in VO2max (95% CI 1.66 to 3.12) or every 49 min reduction in MVPA (95% CI 27 to 224). Conclusion: A relatively high prevalence of elevated individual and clustered CVD risk was identified. Our results have also confirmed the independent inverse association of the clustered CVD risk with physical activity and CRF. These indicate that increased levels of CRF or MVPA may aid in the prevention and reduction of elevated clustered CVD risk.

Is grip strength linked to body composition and cardiovascular risk markers in primary schoolchildren? Cross-sectional data from three African countries.

OBJECTIVES: Muscular strength represents a specific component of health-related fitness. Hand grip strength (HGS) is used as an indicator for musculoskeletal fitness in children. HGS can also be used as a marker of cardiometabolic risk, but most available HGS data are derived from Western high-income countries. Therefore, this study examines whether HGS is associated with body composition and markers of cardiovascular risk in children from three sub-Saharan African countries. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Public primary schools (grade 1-4) in Taabo (Côte d'Ivoire), Gqeberha (South Africa) and Ifakara (Tanzania). PARTICIPANTS: Data from 467 children from Côte d'Ivoire (210 boys, 257 girls), 864 children from South Africa (429 boys, 435 girls) and 695 children from Tanzania (334 boys, 361 girls) were analysed. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Body composition (assessed via bioelectrical impedance analysis) was the primary outcome. Cardiovascular risk markers were considered as secondary outcome. Blood pressure was measured with an oscillometric monitor, and blood markers (cholesterol, triglycerides, glycated haemoglobin) via Afinion point-of-care testing. HGS (independent variable) was assessed with a hydraulic hand dynamometer. Inferential statistics are based on mixed linear regressions and analyses of covariance. RESULTS: Across all study sites, higher HGS was associated with lower body fat, higher muscle mass and higher fat-free mass (p<0.001, 3.9%-10.0% explained variance), both in boys and girls. No consistent association was found between HGS and cardiovascular risk markers. CONCLUSIONS: HGS assessment is popular due to its simplicity, feasibility, practical utility and high reliability of measurements. This is one of the first HGS studies with children from sub-Saharan Africa. There is a great need for further studies to examine whether our findings can be replicated, to develop reference values for African children, to establish links to other health outcomes, and to explore whether HGS is associated with later development of cardiovascular risk markers. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN29534081.

Associations Between Household Socioeconomic Status, Car Ownership, Physical Activity, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in South African Primary Schoolchildren Living in Marginalized Communities.

BACKGROUND: Little is known whether physical activity (PA)-promoting environments are equally accessible to children with divergent socioeconomic status (SES) in low-/middle-income countries. The authors, therefore, examined whether South African children from poorer versus wealthier families living in marginalized communities differed in moderate to vigorous PA and cardiorespiratory fitness. We also tested associations between family car ownership and PA/cardiorespiratory fitness. METHODS: Parents/guardians of 908 children (49% girls, mean age = 8.3 [1.4] y) completed a survey on household SES. PA was assessed via 7-day accelerometry, parental and child self-reports, and cardiorespiratory fitness with the 20-m shuttle run test. RESULTS: Based on accelerometry, most children met current moderate to vigorous PA recommendations (≥60 min/d). About 73% of the children did not engage in structured physical education lessons. Whereas children of the lowest SES quintile accumulated higher levels of device-based moderate to vigorous PA, peers from the highest SES quintile engaged in more sedentary behaviors, but self-reported higher engagement in sports, dance, and moving games after school. Families' car ownership was associated with higher parent/self-reported leisure-time PA. CONCLUSIONS: A deeper understanding is needed about why wealthier children are more sedentary, but simultaneously engage in more leisure-time PA. The fact that access to structural physical education is denied to most children is critical and needs to be addressed.

Associations of Growth Impairment and Body Composition among South African School-Aged Children Enrolled in the KaziAfya Project.

(1) Background: Early childhood malnutrition may result in increased fat mass (FM) among school-aged children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We explored whether South African children with shorter stature have greater overall and abdominal FM compared to normal stature children. (2) Methods: Baseline assessments of body composition and weight were determined among school-aged children enrolled in a randomized controlled trial in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Multiple linear regression models tested associations of children's height and degree of stunting with FM, fat free mass (FFM), truncal fat mass (TrFM), and truncal fat free mass (TrFFM) overall and by sex. (3) Results: A total of 1287 children (619 girls, 668 boys) were assessed at baseline. Reduced child height was associated with higher FM and lower FFM and TrFFM, but these associations were reversed with increases in height. Girls classified as mildly or moderately/severely stunted had higher FM and TrFM but lower FFM and TrFFM, while no association was found for boys. (4) Conclusions: Our study suggests that efforts to reduce the non-communicable disease burden in LMICs should target growth-impaired children who may have greater overall FM and greater abdominal FM.

Sustainability of a school-based health intervention for prevention of non-communicable diseases in marginalised communities: protocol for a mixed-methods cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of chronic, lifestyle-related diseases is increasing among adults and children from low-income and middle-income countries. Despite the effectiveness of community-based interventions to address this situation, the benefits thereof may disappear in the long term, due to a lack of maintenance, especially among disadvantaged and high-risk populations. The KaziBantu randomised controlled trial conducted in 2019 consisted of two school-based health interventions, KaziKidz and KaziHealth. This study will evaluate the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of these interventions in promoting positive lifestyle changes among children and educators in disadvantaged schools in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study has an observational, longitudinal, mixed-methods design. It will follow up educators and children from the KaziBantu study. All 160 educators enrolled in KaziHealth will be invited to participate, while the study will focus on 361 KaziKidz children (aged 10-16 years) identified as having an increased risk for non-communicable diseases. Data collection will take place 1.5 and 2 years postintervention and includes quantitative and qualitative methods, such as anthropometric measurements, clinical assessments, questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions. Analyses will encompass: prevalence of health parameters; descriptive frequencies of self-reported health behaviours and quality of life; the longitudinal association of these; extent of implementation; personal experiences with the programmes and an impact analysis based on the Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance framework. DISCUSSION: In settings where resources are scarce, sustainable and effective prevention programmes are needed. The purpose of this protocol is to outline the design of a study to evaluate KaziKidz and KaziHealth under real-world conditions in terms of effectiveness, being long-lasting and becoming institutionalised. We hypothesise that a mixed-methods approach will increase understanding of the interventions' capacity to lead to sustainable favourable health outcomes amid challenging environments, thereby generating evidence for policy. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN15648510.

Prevalence of Stunting and Relationship between Stunting and Associated Risk Factors with Academic Achievement and Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Study with South African Primary School Children.

Childhood stunting can have negative long-term consequences on cognitive development, academic achievement, and economic productivity later in life. We determined the prevalence of stunting and examined whether stunting and associated risk factors (low dietary diversity, insufficient hemoglobin, food insecurity, and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections) are associated with academic achievement and cognitive function among South African children living in marginalized communities. A cross-sectional sample of 1277 children (aged 5-12 years) was analyzed. Stunting was defined according to 2007 WHO growth references. Cognitive functioning was measured with the computerized Flanker task and academic performance via school grades. Blood and stool samples were collected to obtain hemoglobin level and STH infection. Dietary diversity was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. Associations were examined via mixed linear regression (with school class as a random intercept). Nine percent of the children were stunted (95% CI: 7.6-10.8%). Low dietary diversity (ß = 0.13, p = 0.004), food insecurity (ß = -0.12, p = 0.034), and stunting (ß = -0.13, p = 0.031) were associated with poorer end of the year results among girls. No such associations were found among boys. No significant associations were found for socioeconomic status and hemoglobin levels. The prevalence of stunting and STH infections were low in the present sample. Risk factors seem differently associated with girls' and boys' academic achievement. Promoting nutrition may help to promote academic achievement among girls living in low- and middle-income countries.