Abstractobjective. To determine the prevalence of hypertension in Grade 1 learners in the North West Province of South Africa and to investigate the association between blood pressure (BP) and body composition of these children. Methods. Data were collected by means of a stratified random sampling procedure from 816 Grade 1 learners (419 boys, 397 girls) with a mean age of 6.78±0.49 years (mean±SD), in the NW-CHILD-study. Height, weight, skinfolds (subscapular, triceps, calf) and waist circumference were measured. The international recommended cut-off values of Cole et al. (2000) for body mass index (BMI) were used. Hypertension, defined as the average of two separate BP (BP) readings, where the systolic BP and diastolic BP is >95th percentile for age, sex and height, was determined by means of an Omron 705CP-II. Results. The overall prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was 8.5% and 24.9%, respectively. Both systolic and diastolic BP was positively associated with BMI, body fat percentage and waist circumference. Boys and girls showed a similar prevalence of hypertension. A higher percentage of black children were hypertensive compared with whites, although the difference in BP of the groups was not significant. A high percentage of children with normal weight also showed increased levels of BP. Conclusions. High prevalences of hypertension were found in Grade 1 learners in the North West Province of South Africa. Small practical significant associations existed between BP and body composition. BP screening is therefore considered important in the paediatric population. Interventions which include physical activity are recommended to reduce potential cardiovascular complications and obesity among children. Other contributing factors to high BP amongst young children should also be investigated.

The aim of the study was to determine whether a physical activity, diet and behaviour modification intervention would significantly improve the self-perception of 9 to 12 year old overweight and obese children. A convenience sample of 38 subjects between the ages of 9 and 12 years (mean age = 11.0) participated in the study. Twenty children (N = 20), 13 girls and 7 boys, participated in the intervention programme for 13 week (3 times/week), while 18 children (N = 18), 11 girls and 7 boys, served as a control group. Kinanthropometric measurements were used to assess body composition and self-perception was determined by using the Harter Scale for Self-Perception. The results showed low self-perception values compared to normal children, although the self-perception of overweight and obese children did not differ from each other. There was a significant increase in all subcomponents of self-perception in the experimental group, with the largest improvement in athletic, physical and global self-perception (p < 0.05). In contrast, the control group exhibited lower values in all the subcomponents with a significant decrease in social self-perception (p < 0.05). Waist and upper arm circumferences, as well as fat percentages of the experimental group decreased significantly, while the measurements of the same components in the control group increased. The multidisciplinary intervention programme not only possesses weight loss advantages for overweight and obese children, but has the advantage of improving self-perception. Participation in the programme also showed positive effects on the self-perception of both sexes, although the effect in the various subcomponents appears to be different.

Decreasing tendencies of physical activity among adolescent girls are indicated as contributing to increased health risks in this age group. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a 10 week aerobic-based exercise programme performed twice a week, with a 30 minutes duration and an intensity level of 55-70% heart rate max would improve aerobic endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition of 10-15 year-old girls living in a farming community. The study involved girls (N=38) from two schools, living on nearby farms in the North West Province. Twenty subjects (n=20) participated in the aerobic-based programme, while eighteen (n=18) served as a control group. The FITNESSGRAMM assessed physical fitness while ACTICAL activity monitors were used to analyse the physical activity intensity level of the group. Co-variance analysis (p < 0.05) showed significant group differences, indicating improvement in aerobic endurance, muscular strength and muscular endurance and improved tone as measured by the triceps skinfold after participating in the aerobic-based exercise programme. It is concluded that an aerobic-based exercise programme, conducted in a playful and enjoyable manner and according to guidelines set for health enhancement, can improve aerobic endurance, leading to increased physical activity among girls in their teenage years.

The high occurrence of overweight and obesity amongst children is a disturbing health problem worldwide. Possible causes of increasing childhood obesity are inactivity and energy imbalances. The aim of this study was to analyse the total energy expenditure (TEE) and physical activity levels in 9-year-old -12-year-old overweight and obese children during a weekday and a weekend day, as well as during a weekday morning and afternoon. Twenty-four 9-year-old -12-year-old children (seven boys and 17 girls), of whom nine were overweight and 15 were obese, were selected from seven public primary schools for this study. Body mass index (BMI) cut-off points were used to distinguish between overweight and obese. Each participant wore an ACTICAL™ monitor to determine their physical activity levels and TEE. It was found that the TEE of the children did not differ between a week day and a weekend day, although the TEE of the week day afternoon differed significantly from that of the weekday morning. Unlike the overweight children, none of the obese children met the requirements of 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day. Strategies should be found to increase the activity levels of overweight and, especially, obese children, specifically during the mornings and over weekends. Page 1 of 6Die hoë voorkoms van oorgewig en obesiteit onder kinders is wêreldwyd 'n kommerwekkende gesondheidsprobleem. Fisieke onaktiwiteit en energiewanbalanse word as moontlike oorsake van die probleem beskou. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die totale energieverbruik (TEV) en fisieke-aktiwiteitsvlakke van 9-jarige -12-jarige oorgewig-en obese kinders tydens 'n totale weeksdag en naweekdag te ontleed, asook tydens die oggend en middag van 'n weeksdag. Vier-en-twintig 9-jarige -12-jarige kinders (sewe seuns en 17 dogters), waarvan nege oorgewig en 15 obees was, is uit sewe publieke laerskole vir die studie gekies. Afsnypunte volgens die liggaamsmassa-indeks (LMI) is gebruik om tussen oorgewig en obees te onderskei. Elke deelnemer het 'n ACTICAL™ monitor gedra om hul fisieke-aktiwiteitsvlakke en TEV te bepaal. Die studie het getoon dat die TEV van die kinders op 'n weeksdag en naweekdag nie verskil het nie, alhoewel TEV tydens die middag van die weeksdag betekenisvol verskil het van die oggend s'n. Anders as die oorgewig kinders, het geen van die obese kinders aan die voorgestelde riglyn van 60 minute se matig intensiewe fisieke aktiwiteit per dag voldoen nie. Strategieë moet gevind word om die vlakke van aktiwiteit van oorgewig en veral obese kinders te verhoog, spesifiek gedurende die oggende en oor naweke.