Levels and Patterns of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour of Primary School Learners in Lagos State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) assessment in children is critical for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases. African studies examining PA and SB of primary school-age children are few. This study investigated PA, SB levels and their correlates among primary school children in Lagos, Nigeria. METHOD: In a cross-sectional study of 733 learners, their self-reported PA and SB were assessed using the Children PA Questionnaire (CPAQ) (6-9 years age category) and Youth Activity Profile (YAP) (10-12 years age category) while pedometers were used for objective PA and SB assessment, and socioeconomic status (SES) index were measured using a structured questionnaire. Standardised procedures were used for anthropometric and cardiovascular measures. Results Based on CPAQ, 87.5% and 100% of the learners aged 6-9 years met the recommended PA and SB guidelines, respectively which were lower with pedometers (72.8% and 87.3%). The proportion of boys aged 6-9 years who met the guidelines for PA and SB (using pedometer) was significantly higher than that of the girls(PA: 80.7% vs. 64%, p = 0.018; SB: 94% vs. 80%, p = 0.008). Self-reported PA was positively associated with age (CPAQ: B = 455.39, p < 0.001; YAP: B = 1.638, p = 0.009) and negatively with SES (CPAQ: B = -201.39, p < 0.001; YAP: B = -1.000, p < 0.001). Objective PA was positively associated with waist to hip ratio(WHR) (6-9 years: B = 66090.24, p = 0.032) and negatively with sex (6-9 years: B = -5533.41, p = 0.027) and hip circumference (10-12 years: B = -1269.13, p = 0.017). SB was associated with SES in learners aged 10-12 years (B = -0.282, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: High SES is a major predictor of reduced PA among these cohort of learners.

A scoping review on the implementation of Global Observatory on Physical Activity recommendations for school children in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Promoting physical activity (PA) is a critical first step in preventing and lowering the prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases across all age groups. The Global Observatory on Physical Activity (GoPA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested country-specific guidelines for promoting PA across all age categories to achieve this. However, despite an increase in obesity, there is no information on their compliance for pre-secondary school children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We mapped evidence in the literature and described the available evidence on implementing GoPA recommendations for presecondary school children in SSA. Methods: This scoping review included a search in PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Cochrane Library with the dates 2013-2020, using keywords and the terms (Physical activity OR exercise AND (GoPA recommendations OR Guidelines) AND ((presecondary school children) OR (primary school children) OR (basic school children) OR (children)). The most important data were tabulated. Results: Twenty-three studies were identified of which ten were eligible for data extraction. Of these ten studies, 2 (20%) were conducted in Nigeria, 4 (40%) in South Africa, 2 (20%) in Ghana and 1(10%) each in Kenya and Senegal were extracted. None of these nations has a national plan or strategy to promote PA and reduce sedentary behaviors (SB). Conclusion: A gap in the formulation of PA guidelines exists in SSA. Urgent action is needed for a national plan or strategy by individual country in SSA to reduce the burden of physical inactivity among school children in SSA.

Atividade física e comportamento sedentário: comparação entre alunos de ensino médio e universitários / Comparison of physical activity and sedentary behavior levels in secondary and university students

Objetivo: comparar níveis de atividade física e comporta-mento sedentário entre estudantes de ensino médio e uni-versitários. Métodos: estudo transversal com 202 estudan-tes do ensino médio e 171 universitários. O Questionário Global de Atividade Física foi aplicado aos participantes. Porcentagens, os testes Qui-quadrado e Mann-Whitney, e regressão linear foram utilizados para a análise dos dados. Resultados: cerca de 63% e 32% dos estudantes de ensino médio e universitários, respectivamente, relataram níveis altos de atividade física, enquanto 84,7% e 71,9% deles, res-pectivamente, atenderam às diretrizes para comportamento sedentário. A pontuação dos estudantes de ensino médio foi significativamente maior que a dos alunos universitários em atividade física vigorosa (p=0,004), moderada (p<0,001), e total (p<0,001). As diferenças encontradas foram maio-res entre mulheres. Conclusão: os alunos do ensino médio apresentaram maiores escores de atividade física e despen-deram menos tempo em comportamentos sedentários. (AU)

Sobrecarga e qualidade de vida de cuidadores informais de crianças com paralisia cerebral / Burden and quality of life of informal caregivers of children with cerebral palsy

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a sobrecarga e qualidade de vida de cuidadores informais de crianças com paralisia cerebral. Métodos: o estudo transversal envolveu 109 cuidadores recrutados em uma clínica de fisioterapia em um hospital terciário. A qualidade de vida e a sobrecarga foram avaliadas por meio do Personal Wellbeing Index e do Modified Caregivers' Strain Index, respectivamente. Os dados foram analisados de forma descritiva e inferencial. Resultados: as médias do índice de sobrecarga e dos escores de qualidade de vida foram 11,85 ± 5,72 e 64,68 ± 8,03, respectivamente. A maioria (67,9%) dos cuidadores apresentou bem-estar pessoal razoável, enquanto cerca de um terço (33,0%) apresentou alta sobrecarga. Idade da criança (B=2,454; p<0,005) e ocupação dos cuidadores (B= -2,547; p=0,001) foram preditores de tensão do cuidador. Conclusão: cuidar de crianças com paralisia cerebral impôs uma sobrecarga substancial aos cuidadores e a idade da criança e a ocupação dos cuidadores foram variáveis preditoras.

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the caregiver burden and the quality of life of informal caregivers of children with cerebral palsy. Methods: the cross-sectional survey involved 109 caregivers of children with cerebral palsy recruited from physiotherapy clinic at a tertiary hospital. The quality of life and caregiver burden were assessed using the Personal Wellbeing Index Scale and the Modified Caregivers' Strain Index, respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: the mean strain index and quality of life scores of the participants were 11.85 ± 5.72 and 64.68 ± 8.03 respectively. The majority (67.9%) of the caregivers had fair personal well-being, while about one-third (33.0%) had high caregiver's strain. Child's age (B=2.454; p<0.005) and caregivers' occupation (B= -2.547; p=0.001) were predictors of caregiver strain. Conclusion: caring for children with cerebral palsy imposed a substantial burden on the caregivers and child's age and caregivers' occupation were predictor variables.

Effectiveness of three modes of kinetic-chain exercises on quadriceps muscle strength and thigh girth among individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: The study was designed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of 12-week open, closed and combined kinetic-chain exercises (OKCE, CKCE and CCE) on quadriceps muscle strength and thigh girth of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHOD: The randomized clinical trial involved ninety-six consecutive patients with knee OA who were randomly assigned to one of OKCE, CKCE or CCE groups. Participants' static quadriceps muscle strength (SQS), dynamic quadriceps muscle strength (DQS) and thigh girth (TG) were assessed using cable tensiometer, one repetition method and inelastic tape measure respectively at baseline and at the end of weeks 4, 8 and 12 of study. RESULTS: The three groups were comparable regarding their demographic and dependent variables at baseline; there was significant time effect (p < 0.001each) as all three measures significantly increased over time from baseline to week 12 [mean difference: SQS: 3.30 (95% CI: 2.52-4.08) N; DQS: 0.74 (95% CI: 0.45-1.02) N; TG: 1.32 (95% CI: 0.93-1.71) cm]. The effect of intervention-time interaction was not significant (p > 0.05) for all three measures. Changes in SQS, DQS and TG between baseline and week 12 were also not significantly different (p > 0.05) among the three groups. CONCLUSION: All three exercise regimens are effective and demonstrate similar effects on quadriceps muscle strength and muscular trophism. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NHREC/05/01/2008a. Registered 20th March, 2014 Retrospectively.