Short- and long-term effects on physical activity levels and cardiometabolic risk factors among children with adverse disease profiles after participation in the KaziKidz health promotion program
KaziBantu research news
The newest KaziBantu article by Arnaiz et al. that has been published in Frontiers in Public Health aims to examine the effects of the KaziKidz intervention on physical activity and the cardiometabolic risk profile of South African children at risk of noncommunicable diseases. First, authors compared the short-term intervention impact between children with adverse disease profiles and their healthy counterparts. KaziKidz was especially effective in improving high-intensity physical activity during school hours among less active children. Also, the development of cardiometabolic risk factors was studied among at-risk children two-years’ post-intervention. A loss of intervention effects and a general deterioration of health outcomes was observed in the long-term.
Thus, authors conclude that school-based interventions can promote physical activity and health among learners, but policy making must support the integration of effective interventions into the school structure to achieve sustainable impact. Further information can be found here:
Arnaiz P, Seelig H, Gerber M, Adams L, Degen J, Dolley D, Joubert N, Nienaber M, Nqweniso S, Steinmann P, Utzinger J, du Randt R, Walter C, Pühse U and Müller I (2023) Intervention effects and long-term changes in physical activity and cardiometabolic outcomes among children at risk of noncommunicable diseases in South Africa: a cluster-randomized controlled trial and follow-up analysis. Front. Public Health 11:1199381. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1199381