Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Clustered Cardiovascular Risk in South African Primary Schoolchildren from Disadvantaged Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study

Siphesihle Nqweniso, Cheryl Walter, Rosa du Randt, Larissa Adams, Johanna Beckmann, Jan Degen, Stefanie Gall, Nandi Joubert, Christin Lang, Kurt Z. Long, Ivan Müller, Madeleine Nienaber, Uwe Pühse, Harald Seelig, Danielle Smith, Peter Steinmann, Jürg Utzinger and Markus Gerber
Additional contact information
Siphesihle Nqweniso: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6019, South Africa
Cheryl Walter: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6019, South Africa
Rosa du Randt: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6019, South Africa
Larissa Adams: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6019, South Africa
Johanna Beckmann: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Jan Degen: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Stefanie Gall: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Nandi Joubert: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
Christin Lang: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Kurt Z. Long: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
Ivan Müller: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Madeleine Nienaber: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6019, South Africa
Uwe Pühse: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Harald Seelig: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Danielle Smith: Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, University Way, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6019, South Africa
Peter Steinmann: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
Jürg Utzinger: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
Markus Gerber: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: The coexistence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors has been reported in school-aged children from the age of nine years, but most evidence stems from high-income countries. This cross-sectional study aimed at describing the cardiovascular health risk, physical activity (PA) behavior and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of South African primary schoolchildren, and at examining the associations between PA/CRF and a composite measure of cardiovascular risk. Cross-sectional data from 832 primary schoolchildren (grade 1–4) were analyzed. Total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, body fat, and glycated hemoglobin were assessed as cardiovascular risk markers. Data were analyzed via mixed linear regressions and analyses of covariance. Overall, 24.2% of the participants did not meet current PA standards. Higher CRF/PA were associated with lower body fat and lower clustered cardiovascular risk ( p < 0.05). When categorizing children into CRF/PA quartiles, a lower clustered cardiovascular risk gradient was found in children with higher CRF ( p < 0.05) or PA ( p < 0.05). Our data shows that higher CRF/PA is associated with lower clustered cardiovascular risk already from a young age. Given that clustered cardiovascular risk present during childhood can track into adulthood, we advocate for PA participation and a healthy weight from a young age onwards.

Keywords: blood lipids; blood pressure; body fat; cholesterol; cardiovascular risk factors; HbA1c; primary schoolchildren; physical activity; triglycerides (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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