Physical activity and sedentary behaviors associated with overweight and obesity among primary school children in Tanzania: a case-control study
| dc.contributor.author | Pacific, Renatha | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kulwa, Kissa | |
| dc.contributor.author | Martin, Haikael | |
| dc.contributor.author | Petrucka, Pammla | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-12-01T10:53:11Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-11-19 | |
| dc.description | SGD-4: Quality education | |
| dc.description.abstract | Purpose This study aims at determining the risk of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors on overweight and obesity among primary school children aged 10–13 years in Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach A case-control study was conducted from January to March 2020 involving 69 overweight/obese children as cases and 138 normal weight children as controls. Cases were identified as having body mass index-for-age ≥ +1 standard deviation (SD) and controls as those having BMI-for-age range between −2 SD to <+1 SD. A validated questionnaire was used for data collection on daily physical activities and sedentary behavior types, frequency duration and activity score. An independent sample t-test was used to compare means of activity score between cases and controls. Binary logistic regression was used to predict risk factors for overweight/obesity. Findings Risk factors for overweight/obesity were listening to music and/or radio for >2 h/week (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2–6.1) and walking for exercise <2 h/week (OR 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–4.1). On the other hand, rope skipping for >2 h/week (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03–0.7) was a protective factor against overweight/obesity. Controls had a significantly higher mean score of being active during lunch breaks compared to cases (p = 0.012). Cases had higher weight, height and percentage body fat than controls (p < 0.001). The home environment provided more avenues for physical activity than the school environment. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is original research work and the first case-control study to predict physical activity and sedentary behaviors as risk factors for overweight and obesity in Tanzanian school children. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-09-2021-0273 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.nm-aist.ac.tz/handle/123456789/3509 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Emerald Group Holdings Ltd. | |
| dc.subject | Case-control | |
| dc.subject | Cases | |
| dc.subject | controls | |
| dc.subject | Obesity | |
| dc.subject | Overweight | |
| dc.subject | Physical activity | |
| dc.subject | School children | |
| dc.subject | Sedentary behavior | |
| dc.subject | Tanzania | |
| dc.title | Physical activity and sedentary behaviors associated with overweight and obesity among primary school children in Tanzania: a case-control study | |
| dc.type | Article |