Scanning for Obesogenicity of Primary School Environments in Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa

Morentho Cornelia Phetla () and Linda Skaal
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Morentho Cornelia Phetla: Department of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Linda Skaal: Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South Africa

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 19, 1-13

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to scan for the obesogenicity of primary school environments in Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa. This study was carried out in ten public primary schools in the Tshwane West district of the Gauteng province. An observational design was used to collect the data. Data collection was conducted using an observational checklist guided by the Analysis Grid for Environments Linked to Obesity (ANGELO) framework. The findings revealed that although a nutrition policy was available in most schools, few schools were communicating the policy. Despite all the schools having sports fields, children were not exercising. Most schools also had a school nutrition programme. Most primary schoolchildren’s lunchboxes contained sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and snacks. A few lunchboxes contained fruits and vegetables. Primary schools in Tshwane West did not comply with most aspects of the school mapping environment, indicating that the school environments were obesogenic. It is therefore essential to scan for obesogenicity in all South African schools so that tailor-made interventions can be implemented to rectify and further prevent obesogenic school environments.

Keywords: primary schoolchildren; obesity; obesogenic environment; ANGELO framework (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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