Global Comparisons of Age, Gender and Socioeconomic Status Differences of Physical Fitness Health Risk in South African Primary School Children: Longitudinal Data from the NW-CHILD Study.

Global physical fitness (PF) levels have declined over the past 50 years, contributing to early health risks in children although it is still unclear how age, gender and socioeconomic status (SES) impact PF risk. This study aimed to identify unique health risks related to age, SES and gender that might influence muscular fitness (MF) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of primary school children in South Africa. Children ( = 349, boys = 165; girls = 184) of low ( = 201) and high SES ( = 148) underwent three time point measurements at 6, 9 and 12 years spanning seven primary school years.

Results From South Africa's 2022 Healthy Active Kids' Report Card on Physical Activity, Body Composition Proxies, and Nutritional Status in Children and Adolescents.

Background: Physical activity (PA) and nutrition in children have an impact on overall physical and mental well-being, cognitive, and social development. This study aims to report on the best current available evidence on PA, body composition proxies, and nutritional status of South African children and adolescents, based on the published findings between 2018 and 2022, which comprise the 2022 Healthy Active Kids South Africa Report Card.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search of online databases, along with hand searching and a gray literature search, was conducted based on PA, body composition proxies, and nutrition indicators defined, in part, by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance.

Exploratory Study into the Classification Agreement between Self-Reported Age of Menarche and Calculated Maturity Offset in Adolescent Girls: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study.

Menarche is a significant pubertal event influencing girls' participation in physical activity. As menarche is a sensitive matter, a non-invasive substitute is needed to help classify girls' maturity status and provide physical literacy to them in this regard. The objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the classification agreement between self-reported age of menarche and calculated maturity offset in adolescent girls from South Africa by making use of various statistical methods.

Relationships between moderate vigorous physical activity, motor- and health-related fitness and motor skills in children.

Background:  Childhood is an important transitional period for the development of healthy physical activity (PA) behaviours, so it is important to understand its impact on a healthy lifestyle.

Aim:  This study aimed to determine the influences of sex, socioeconomic status (SES) and body composition (BC) on the relationships between PA, motor skills, motor- and health-related physical fitness in 5-8-year-olds.

Setting:  Participants were a subsample consisting of 299 children (150 boys, 149 girls, mean age 6.

Sustainable effects of a motor skill programme on physical activity levels in 7-8 years old children, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

Background: Deteriorating global physical activity (PA) levels among children warrants new and sustainable approaches to increase PA levels. This study aimed to determine the immediate and sustainable influences of a 9-week movement program on the PA levels in 7 to 8-year-old school children in the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

Methods: A randomized control trial including two groups (control group (CG) and intervention group (IG)), pre-post-retest (after six months of no intervention) design was used.

Longitudinal pathways of associations between motor proficiency and physical fitness during earlier and later childhood: The NW-CHILD study.

Understanding the relationships between motor proficiency (MP) and physical fitness (PF) is important for the future health of children, although longitudinal findings of this nature are limited. This study explored the association between MP and PF during earlier childhood (6 and 9 years old) and later childhood (12 years old) in boys and girls. A stratified and randomized research design including a baseline and two follow-up time-point measures (2010, 2013, and 2016) were used.

Age and Sex Differences in the State and Relationships between Process and Product Assessments of Fundamental-Motor Skills in Five to Eight-Year-Olds: The ExAMIN Youth SA Study.

Adequate development of Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) at a young age benefit holistic development and positive health outcomes. This study determined age and sex developmental differences in the state and the relationships between process and product assessments of four fundamental-motor skills (FMS) in five to eight-year-olds. An availability sample of 636 children; 291 boys, 345 girls, mean age of 6.

The Value of a Motor Intervention for 3 to 6-Year-Old Children Infected with and Affected by HIV.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a large threat to human health and is challenging to address. This study aims to determine if motor intervention is a possibility for promoting the life expectancy and quality of life of children with HIV. The group consisted of 22 participants: 11 HIV-infected (51.

A demographic approach to assess elevated blood pressure and obesity in prepubescent children: the ExAMIN Youth South Africa study.

Background: Obesity and hypertension prevalence among children are a concern, with limited evidence available on sex and ethnic differences in childhood blood pressure. We aimed to determine the number of children with hypertension and obesity to identify unique adiposity and blood pressure characteristics by sex and ethnicity, and to estimate the odds of having elevated blood pressure with increasing adiposity.

Methods: We included 1062 healthy children (5-9 years of age) in an observational school-based study in South Africa.

Long-Term Influences of Stunting, Being Underweight, and Thinness on the Academic Performance of Primary School Girls: The NW-CHILD Study.

Poor socio-economic status contributes to undernutrition which, in turn, can increase the risk of academic underachievement. This study wants to determine if stunting, being underweight, and thinness show long term relations with academic performance in primary school girls aged 6 to 13 in the North West province of South Africa. A randomized and stratified longitudinal research design including a baseline and two time-point measurements over seven school years was used.

Effect of the Growth Spurt on Training of Strength and Power During Mid-Adolescence in Boys.

Badenhorst, J, Pienaar, AE, and Gerber, BP. The effect of the growth spurt on training of strength and power during mid-adolescence in boys. J Strength Cond Res 35(8): 2193-2204, 2021-This study determined if the growth spurt will influence the training of strength and power in boys (N = 86) of differing maturity levels.

Influences of Differing Menarche Status on Motor Capabilities of Girls, 13 To 16 Years: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study.

Puberty and the onset of menarche influences the motor performance of girls. However, the magnitude of these influences during varying maturity status, is not clear. This longitudinal study over two years aimed to investigate differences in motor fitness between early and late developing girls based on pre- and post-menarche status.

Influences of persistent overweight on perceptual-motor proficiency of primary school children: the North-West CHILD longitudinal study : Persistent overweight and perceptual-motor proficiency in children.

Background: Overweight can be a precursor of poor motor execution, negatively impacting the overall development of school-aged children on various levels. This study determined the long-term influences of overweight on perceptual-motor proficiency (PMP) of primary school children in the North-West Province of South Africa.

Methods: The study, which included 381 participants, formed part of the NW-CHILD longitudinal study from Grade 1 (6.

Competency in Object Control Skills at an Early Age Benefit Future Movement Application: Longitudinal Data from the NW-CHILD Study.

The level of competency in object control skills (OCSs) during early childhood is considered to be a possible determinant of the successful generalization of these skills during later childhood. This study aimed to determine if an association exists between competency in object control skills during early childhood (6-9 years) and the application of these skills during later childhood (12 years). The NW-CHILD longitudinal study (2010-2016), included a baseline and two time-point follow-up measures in grades 1, 4, and 7 of South African children.

Comparison of Body Mass Index and fat percentage criteria classification of 7-13 year-old rural boys in South Africa.

Background: The aim of this paper was to investigate whether BMI and fat percentage classification criteria, would classify a sample of 7-13 year old boys from a rural background in similar nutritional categories.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with a stratified random sampling included 601 rural boys (7-13 years old). Fat percentage criteria classification and BMI were calculated and compared.

The mediating effect of physical fitness on long term influences of overweight in primary school girls' academic performance.

Background: Overweight and obesity contribute to multiple health risks in children, while also impacting negatively on educational performance. Physical fitness can impact outcomes beyond health related measures therefore it can play a mediating role in combating the negative effects of being overweight.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-two primary school girls aged 6-13 years old from the North West Province of South Africa formed part of this random stratified longitudinal research design in which three follow-up measurements took place over seven years.

The Exercise, Arterial Modulation and Nutrition in Youth South Africa Study (ExAMIN Youth SA).

The impact of a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle on cardiovascular health is well-documented, however the current obesity and hypertension trends among children is concerning. The ExAMIN Youth SA study aims to investigate the impact of lifestyle behaviors (physical fitness/activity, dietary intake and psychosocial factors) involved in early vascular aging among South African children. This study is an analytical, multidisciplinary, observational cohort study in a school-based setting.

The association between under-nutrition, school performance and perceptual motor functioning in first-grade South African learners: The North-West Child Health Integrated with Learning and Development study.

Background: Early childhood is characterised by an immense spurt of growing and learning where under-nutrition can have adverse effects on the neuro-developmental health and school performance of children. A full understanding of the relationship between school performance and motor functioning skills and malnourishment in school beginners is still lacking.

Aim: To determine the association between indices of under-nutrition and how it relates to school performance and motor functioning skills of first-grade learners.

The South African 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Birth to 5 Years: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sitting Behavior, Screen Time, and Sleep.

Background: In December 2018, the South African 24-hour movement guidelines for birth to 5 years were released. This article describes the process used to develop these guidelines.

Methods: The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation-ADOLOPMENT approach was followed, with some pragmatic adaptions, using the Australian guidelines for the early years as a starting point.

Influence of Different Visual Perceptual Constructs on Academic Achievement Among Learners in the NW-CHILD Study.

Visual perception plays an important and integrating role in the development of cognitive abilities and perceptual-motor skills. Visual perception comprises different independent constructs that may function in an integrative manner. This study aimed to determine whether (and the extent to which) various visual-perceptual constructs influence the academic achievement of 12-year-old school children.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school children in a developing country: NW-CHILD longitudinal data of 6-9-yr-old children in South Africa.

Background: Widespread trends of increasing child obesity are reported in developing countries. This longitudinal NW-CHILD study investigated changes in overweight and obesity over a three year period among 574 children between the ages 6 and 9 (282 boys, 292 girls; 407 black, 143 white) in South Africa (SA), taking into consideration sex, race and school type. Stratified random sampling was used to identify 20 schools, across 5 school SES levels (quintiles), in 4 educational districts of the North West Province of SA.

Interrelations between anthropometric and fitness changes during mid-adolescence in boys: a 2-year longitudinal study.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine changes and interrelationships between changes in selected anthropometric growth parameters and motor and physical fitness, among boys over a 2 year period during mid-adolescence.

Methods: Speed, agility, hand-eye coordination, explosive power, muscle strength, and aerobic endurance were measured once a year, and the anthropometric measurements (stature, body mass, sitting height, arm span, and sitting height ratio), were measured three times per year, 4 months apart (among 73 adolescent boys). A hierarchical linear model, adjusting for covariates and partial correlation analysis (R(2) ) were used to analyze the data.

The effect of visual therapy on the ocular motor control of seven- to eight-year-old children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

The aims of this study were to determine the extent of ocular, motor control problems and the effect of visual therapy on such problems, among seven- to eight-year-old children diagnosed with DCD. Thirty-two, children with a mean age of 95.66 months (SD ± 3.