Browsing by Author "Mollel, Getrud"

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    Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania
    (Frontiers, 2025-06-10) Mwakalebela, Fahad; Minja, Elihaika; Mwalugelo, Yohana; Killel, Erick; Rajab, Rehema; Mollel, Getrud; Mponzi, Winifrida; Masanja, Honorati; Okumu, Fredros; Lang, Christin; Gerber, Markus; Utzinger, Jürg; Long, Kurt; Kosia, Efraim; Elisaria, Ester; Finda, Marceline
    Background: Physical activity is pivotal in promoting overall health and wellbeing, improving brain function and cognitive performance, and reducing risk of excessive weight and non-communicable diseases. Despite these benefits, physical inactivity among children and adolescents remains a global concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Only few studies have explored the association between physical activity, nutritional status, and cognitive performance in LMICs like Tanzania. This study assessed these associations among school children in a rural setting in southern Tanzania. Methods: Physical activity was assessed using an actigraphy device that assessed 7-day average of physical activity among school children aged 6–13 years. Cognitive performance was assessed via the Flanker task, which assessed the executive domain of cognitive functions, specifically information processing and inhibitory control. Weight was determined using Tanita digital scale, and height was measured using measuring board. A multinomial logistic regression model and a gamma generalized linear model with a log link function were used to examine the association between physical activity, nutritional status, and cognitive performance. Results: Among 678 children who participated in the baseline assessment, 77.9% had normal weight, 14.3% were underweight, 5.5% were overweight, and 2.4% were obese. Most (92.6%) of the children engaged in at least 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as per WHO recommendations. Children who did not meet the recommended MVPA level were nearly three times more likely to be obese compared to those who did. No statistically significant associations were found between physical activity and cognitive performance, or between nutritional status and cognitive performance. Conclusion: This study highlights a high prevalence of normal weight and adherence to WHO-recommended MVPA levels among school children in southern Tanzania. However, children not meeting MVPA criteria were more likely to be obese, indicating the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy weight. The lack of association between physical activity or nutritional status and cognitive performance, indicates that there may be additional factors that influence cognitive outcomes. Further research is needed to explore these interactions, particularly in rural LMIC settings.
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    Prevalence and Determinants of Undernutrition in Schoolchildren in the Kilombero District, South-Eastern Tanzania
    (MDPI, 2024-04-25) Minja, Elihaika; Mrimi, Emmanuel; Mponzi, Winfrida; Mollel, Getrud; Lang, Christin; Beckmann, Johanna; Gerber, Markus; Pühse, Uwe; Long, Kurt; Masanja, Honorat; Okumu, Fredros; Finda, Marceline; Utzinger, Jürg
    Childhood undernutrition is a major issue in low- and middle-income countries, affecting the health, well-being, and educational outcomes of schoolchildren. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stunting, wasting, and underweight among schoolchildren in peri-urban areas in the south-eastern part of Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 930 children aged 6–12 years from four primary schools from July to August 2019. The WHO Anthro Survey Analyzer was employed to estimate the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight, while logistic regression analyses examined sociodemographic background, malaria infection, anaemia, anthropometric measures, and dietary diversity score as potential factors. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight, and obesity was 11.8%, 4.3%, 3.9%, 11.1%, and 2.0%, respectively. Overall, 1.5% of the children had malaria, as determined by rapid diagnostic tests, and 0.4% had severe anaemia. Univariate analysis indicated higher odds of undernutrition among children aged 9–12 compared to their younger peers. Stunting was more common among children with low and medium dietary diversity. Anaemia was found in 11.2% of schoolchildren, and severe anaemia was associated with wasting. Multivariate analysis revealed that age and low dietary diversity were significantly associated with undernutrition. These findings emphasise the need for school-based health and nutrition programmes targeting children beyond the age of 5 to improve their nutritional status and mitigate potential adverse effects on health, cognition, and academic achievement. Regular assessment of the nutritional status of schoolchildren is warranted.