RESEARCH REPORT PLATFORM PRESENTATION

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS – OUTCOME OF FIRST SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOUR SURVEY. Amosun D¹, Reddy P², Kambaran N³, Omardien R³; ¹School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. ²National Health Promotion Research & Development Group, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. ³ARCH Actuarial Consulting, Cape Town, South Africa

PURPOSE: The first Youth Risk Behaviour Survey in South Africa sought to obtain representative data on self-reported prevalence of health risk behaviours that contribute to intentional and unintentional injury; tobacco use; alcohol and drug abuse; sexual behaviours; physical inactivity; and dietary behaviors. Though physical inactivity is a major contributory factor to chronic diseases of lifestyle in South Africa, there is no reliable database on the status of involvement of youths in physical activity. RELEVANCE: Physical inactivity is a known major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2-diabetes, and some musculoskeletal disorders. Physiotherapists play major roles in prevention as experts in exercise prescription. PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional prevalence study targeted students in grades 8-11 in public schools in the nine provinces. The sampling frame was the database from the School Information Services Directorate, National Department of Education. Using a two-stage cluster sample design to ensure nationally and provincially representative data, 206 schools were eligible to participate in the survey, and 364 classes with 14,766 students, were randomly selected. However, 10,699 students (54.0% females, 46.0% males) in 345 classes from 188 schools submitted completed questionnaires. METHODS: Adapting the Youth Risk Behaviour Survey of the Centers for Disease Control, a questionnaire was developed in English, and pre-tested for face and construct validity. Thereafter, the questionnaire was translated and back-translated into the remaining 10 official languages in preparation for the pilot study. Ethical approval was obtained from the South African Medical Association. Informed consent was also obtained from the National Department of Education, School Principals, parents and learners. Participating students completed the self-administered questionnaire in the classroom under the supervision of trained research assistants. The section of the questionnaire relating to physical activity sought information on participation in vigorous physical activity, moderate physical activity, and insufficient physical activity in the seven days preceding the survey; reasons for abstaining from participation; and types of activities carried out during physical education classes. ANALYSIS: Epi-Info 2002 was used to analyse the data. Weighted prevalence rates and 95% confidence intervals were computed. Differences between prevalence estimates were considered statistically significant at the level of p < 0.05 if the 95% confidence intervals did not overlap. RESULTS: Data of 10,699 students (54.0% females, 46.0% males) revealed that majority of respondents were aged 14-18 years. About 38.0% of the respondents did not participate in sufficient physical activity or abstained completely, while the remaining students participated in either vigorous physical activity, moderate physical activity or a combination of both. Among those who abstained from participation, 25.9% reported an unwillingness to participate. Out of 10,313 students, 29.0% did not have physical education classes at school. CONCLUSIONS: Though the promotion of physical activity and healthy lifestyle is a national priority of the government of South Africa, the survey suggests the need to pay attention to an appreciable proportion of high school students who do not participate sufficiently in physical activity. IMPLICATIONS: Physiotherapists in South Africa should become actively involved in the development of appropriate intervention programs to enhance physically active lifestyles. KEYWORDS: Physical activity, Youth Risk Behaviour Survey. FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The National Department of Health, South Africa. The Centres for Diseases Control, USA (technical and financial assistance). The Medical Research Council, South Africa. CONTACT: damosun@uctgsh1.uct.ac.za

ETHICS COMMITTEE: The South African Medical Association