Change over three years in adolescents' physical activity levels and patterns after a physical activity intervention: play study.

AIM: This study aimed to determine over a three-year period what the PA levels and patterns of adolescents will be after participating in a physical activity (PA) intervention. METHODS: African adolescents (158 boys, 211 girls, N.=309) from a disadvantaged environment in South Africa with a mean age of 14.9±1.4, boys and 14.3±1.4 girls) participated in the study as a PA intervention group (N.=282) and a control group (N.=87). Multi-level modelling (repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for attendance percentage and gender to compare the intervention and control groups and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) over time, with a Bonferroni post hoc test were used to determine how the variables differ across the various testing opportunities. Week and weekend PA levels and patterns were analysed separately. RESULTS: Similar mean PA levels were found among the boys during week and weekend baseline measurements, with a significantly higher mean PA-level after three years in the intervention group. Baseline measurements for girls indicated statistically significant mean differences during the week and the weekend, although these mean differences were not significant during the end measurements. Boys and girls (excluding the intervention group of boys), showed a tendency of declining mean PA over the three years. The PA intervention showed a stabilising effect on PA levels and contributed to more active choices among the intervention group of boys, especially during weekends. CONCLUSION: Participation in similar PA interventions is recommended for adolescent boys, with adaptation to the content for girls.

Recurrence of two myocardial aneurysms infected with tuberculosis after a previous aneurysmectomy.

This case report concerns a patient who initially presented with an apparent congenital left ventricular aneurysm with successful aneurysmectomy. The patient had a recurrence of the aneurysm and, at reoperation, the diagnosis of cardiac tuberculosis was made.

Water fluoridation in South Africa: will it be effective?

The National Oral Health Survey showed that differences in the prevalence and experience of dental caries occurred between racial groups and between geographical areas according to fluoride levels in the domestic water supply that varied from <0.05 ppm in the coastal areas to 0.35 ppm in the Bloemfontein area. The Orange Free State (OFS) Goldfields were not included in the survey. The fluoride content of the water supply to this community varies from 0.2 to 0.9 ppm, with a long term average of 0.54 ppm. A survey was conducted in this area to determine the effect of the raised fluoride level on the caries levels in Black and White children. The results show that caries levels in Black children in the OFS Goldfields are >50 per cent and >80 per cent lower than that found in the Bloemfontein and coastal areas respectively. In the OFS Goldfields 39 per cent of White and 16 per cent of Black 12 year old children presented with dental fluorosis on the maxillary central incisors. The results of this study seem to indicate that Black children will benefit more from water fluoridation than White children.