Influence of organisational climate on public service employee physical health.

Background: The working conditions in the South African public service, notably its challenging environment, pose significant threats to the physical health of employees. Calls exist in understanding how this can be addressed. Aim: The study investigated the predictors of physical health, accounting for the role of organisational climate and decent work. Setting: The study was conducted in Bisho in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Methods: An instrument was administered through a survey using a sample of 289 respondents. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to test the hypothesised relationships. Results: No significant direct effect existed to show that the sounder an organisational climate, the better the physical health of employees will be (ß = -0.014, t = -0.199, p = 0.843, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.153 to 0.125]). However, statistically significant evidence existed to show that the more focus on promoting decent work, the better the physical health of employees will be (ß = 0.463, p = < 0.001, 95% CI [0.258 to 0.668]). Finally, decent work has a full mediating effect on the relationship between organisational climate and employee physical health (ß = 0.105, 95% CI [0.054 to 0.167]). Conclusion: Public service organisations need to pay attention to the role of its climate and decent working conditions in promoting employee physical health. Contribution: Interventions are needed centered on improving decent work and the organisational climate as identified predictors of employee physical health.

The mediating role of social support in promoting physical activity among children in South Africa.

Background: Low physical activity (PA) participation levels and increasing non-communicable diseases in children are concerning in South Africa and globally. Objectives: We sought to assess the mediating role of perceived social support factors on the relationship between PA enjoyment and PA levels among rural, peri-urban and urban school children. Method: A cross-sectional study was adopted to assess peer, family and teacher encouragement as mediators on the relationship between perceived PA enjoyment and perceived physical activity participation among children, using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). The sample comprised a random sample of primary school learners aged 9-14 years. Results: The sample consisted of 870 primary school learners with a mean age of 11.0 ± 1.49 years. Most participants were girls (n = 519; 59.7%). The findings suggest low levels of perceived PA participation (mean = 2.33, standard deviation [s.d.]: 0.43). Peer (ß = 0.0187, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0088, 0.0307), family (ß = 0.0280, 95% CI: 0.0155, 0.0425) and teacher (ß = 0.0242, 95% CI: 0.0127, 0.0378) encouragement partially mediates the relationship between perceived PA enjoyment and perceived PA participation. Family encouragement (ß = 0.0158, 95% CI: 0.0017, 0.0311) has the most considerable mediating effect, followed by teacher encouragement (ß = 0.0125, 95% CI: 0.0010, 0.0269). Conclusion: The findings demonstrated low levels of perceived PA participation in school learners. Therefore, we recommends including social factors as mediators in PA intervention programmes in primary schools. Clinical implications: Social support factors as mediators on the relationship between PA enjoyment and PA participation among children may improve children's PA participation levels and help prevent non-communicable diseases in future.

Relationship between body composition and physical fitness of primary school learners from a predominantly rural province in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of literature regarding the relationship that exists between body composition and physical fitness amongst primary school learners in South Africa. For the sake of public health purposes, it is important to investigate how body composition relates to physical fitness amongst primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between body composition and physical fitness amongst South African primary school children. SETTING: The study was conducted on a cohort of primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province, which is a predominantly rural province in South Africa. METHODS: A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst 870 primary schoolchildren aged 9-14 years. Body composition and physical fitness measurements were measured and recorded using standardised measurement scales. RESULTS: Of the 870 participants, 40.34% (n = 351) were boys and 59.66% (n = 519) were girls. The mean age of the participants was 11.04 ± 1.50 years. Boys had a significantly (p = 0.002) higher mean age (11.24 ±1.51 years) as compared to girls (10.91 ± 1.48 years). The results of the non-parametric Spearman's rho correlation coefficients revealed several significant and negative relationships between physical fitness and body composition measurements, which were stronger in girls than in boys. CONCLUSION: The findings call for public health authorities and other relevant policymakers to initiate the development and implementation of policies and interventions targeted at encouraging physical activity participation and healthy lifestyle amongst primary school learners in South Africa, especially amongst girls.Contribution: The study findings supports a relatively rich literature which suggests that girls are more flexible than boys and that negative relationships between body composition measurements and physical fitness characteristics exists, which are stronger in girls than in boys.

Blood pressure profile of primary school children in Eastern Cape province, South Africa: prevalence and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The problem of cardiovascular diseases and lack of adequate information about the blood pressure profiles among children in South Africa has enormous consequences for public health and the general well-being of communities. AIM: The aim of this study is to determine the blood pressure profiles and associated risk factors of primary school children in South Africa. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among 876 children aged 9 to 14 years from 18 randomly selected schools in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Standardised blood pressure measuring instruments were used and an average of three readings was considered. Blood pressure status was classified according to the percentiles of systolic blood pressure (SBP). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 5.2% and pre-hypertension was 18.5% while normal blood pressure was 76.3%. The multilevel binary logistic regression's crude and adjusted analysis revealed that increase in age was significantly associated with elevated BP in children ([crude OR = 1.17 [1.05 - 1.29] and [adjusted OR = 1.12 [1.01 - 1.25]). In addition, increase in BMI was significantly associated with elevated BP in children ([crude OR = 1.08 [1.04 - 1.12] and [adjusted OR = 1.06 [1.02 - 1.11]). There was no statistically significant association between elevated BP and gender for both the univariate and multivariate models. There was also no statistical significant risk for elevated BP associated with place of residence. CONCLUSIONS: In this sampled population the established proportion of primary school children with elevated BP is of great concern. In addition, older children and those with high BMI (that is, overweight/obesity) were associated with elevated BP. Interventions towards promoting healthy lifestyles among school learners is a necessity if we are to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to assess physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviour amongst primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was adopted to assess the patterns and levels of PA and sedentary behaviour using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). The sample consisted of primary school learners, both boys and girls, aged 9-14 years. The learners were randomly selected from rural, urban and peri-urban areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. RESULTS: Using a complete case analysis, 870 randomly selected participants (boys = 351 and girls = 519) aged 9-14 years were retained. Overall, the sample had a low mean PAQ-C score of 2.33 ± 0.43. The mean of PA in boys was significantly higher (p = 0.003) in comparison with the girls. The 13- to 14-age group had significantly higher PA levels (p = 0.014). Learners from urban areas (n = 136; 77.3%) engaged more in sedentary behaviour compared to those from rural areas (n = 252; 54.9%). CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrated low levels of PA and high engagement of sedentary behaviour across the combined gender groups, which have negative implications on health, growth and development of children. The study, therefore, recommends relevant stakeholders to implement interventions aimed at promoting an increase in PA and a reduction in sedentary behaviours for primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

The relationship between body composition and blood pressure among primary school children in Eastern Cape province, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: In South Africa, especially in the Eastern Cape province, despite reported high prevalence of underweight and obesity, little is known regarding the relationship of body composition (BC) with blood pressure (BP) in primary school children. Understanding the relationship between BC and BP in these children is important because it is associated with adverse effects on health and social repercussion in both adolescence and adulthood. AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between BC and BP among South African primary school children. SETTING: This study was conducted on a cohort of primary school learners in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. METHODS: A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 876 school children aged 9-14 years, using multistage sampling techniques. Body mass and stature were measured using a calibrated scale. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, waist circumference, triceps, gluteal and subscapular were also collected. Body mass index, percentage body fat and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 876 participants, 356 (40.6%) were boys and 520 (59.0%) were girls. The Spearman's rho correlation coefficients revealed positive significant correlations between systolic BP with age (r = 0.171; p 0.0001), stature (r = 0.205; p 0.0001), weight (r = 0.277; p 0.0001), body mass index (r = 0.243; p 0.0001), waist circumference (r = 0.259; p 0.0001), gluteal (r = 0.214; p 0.0001), triceps (r = 0.203; p 0.0001), subscapular (r = 0.167; p 0.0001), body fat percentage (r = 0.206; p 0.0001), fat mass (r = 0.257; p 0.0001) and fat-free mass (r = 0.238; p 0.0001). There was no statistically significant correlation between waist-to-hip ratio and systolic BP (r = 0.064; p = 0.059). In terms of diastolic BP, there existed no significant correlations with age (r = 0.026; p = 0.443) and waist-to-hip ratio (r = 0.002; p = 0.947). Collectively, the prevalence of hypertension was 76.4% in the normal group compared with those who were pre-hypertensive (18.4%) and hypertensive (5.3%). Girls showed a higher prevalence of pre-hypertension than boys (19.6% compared with 16.6%, respectively). CONCLUSION: There is a relationship between most of the BC variables and BP in children. The screening of BP as part of physical examinations of school children is necessary for early prevention and intervention programmes for hypertension.