Age and gender influence healthy eating and physical activity behaviours in South African adolescents and their caregivers: Transforming Adolescent Lives through Nutrition Initiative (TALENT)

Abstract

Objective: To: (i) understand facilitators and barriers to healthy eating practices and physical activity in younger and older urban adolescent South African boys and girls; and (ii) understand how the views of caregivers interact with, and influence, adolescent behaviours. Design: Semi-structured focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted in July 2018. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Setting: Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants: Seventy-five participants were stratified into eight FGD as follows: two for young boys and girls (10–12 years); two for older boys and girls (15–17 years); two for caregivers of young adolescents (boys and girls); and two for caregivers of older adolescents (boys and girls). Results: Unlike their caregivers, adolescents were not motivated to eat healthily and failed to appreciate the need to develop consistent patterns of both healthy eating and physical activity for their long-term health. Although adolescents gained independence with age, they commonly attributed unhealthy food choices to a lack of autonomy and, thereby, to the influence of their caregivers. Adolescents and caregivers perceived their engagement in physical activity according to distinct siloes of recreational and routine activity, respectively. Both similarities and differences in the drivers of healthy eating and physical activity exist in adolescents and caregivers, and should be targeted in future interventions. Conclusions: Our study identified a complex paradigm of eating practices and physical activity in South African adolescents and their caregivers. We also highlighted the need for a new narrative in addressing the multifaceted and interrelated determinants of adolescent health within urban poor settings.

Factors influencing obesogenic behaviours of adolescent girls and women in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A qualitative evidence synthesis

“…The full‐text review resulted in a total of 72 included references 56‐127 reporting on a total of 71 studies from 27 different countries, with 23 studies conducted in Africa, 34 in Asia, and 14 in South America. Figure 1 shows details of references screened, included and excluded, and Table 1 shows the general characteristics of the included studies.…”

“…Healthy diet misconceptions were related to consuming snacks and skipping meals, which were perceived as positive due to eating less 76 . Some perceived that exercise could replace a healthy diet, 77 whereas others preferred to diet instead of engaging in physical activity 78 …”

“…Adolescents in all studies seem to struggle with lack of time due to academic pressure from the school or parents, which affected time available for engaging in physical activity 58,60,62,68,77,101,102,104,109–111,120,121 . They also reported a lack of time to prepare or pack food for school, 117 forcing them to skip meals 79,90,91,96,120 or displace meals with snacks 76 .…”

“…Rain, traffic, and stray dogs are leading people to walk early in the morning and with a companion. ( 112 India, WRA)For women, girls and parents, there was also a fear of sexual violence, of assault 62,64,121 or of getting kidnapped 77 …”

Patients’ Experiences of Comorbid HIV/AIDS and Diabetes Care and Management in Soweto, South Africa

“…Among Black South Africans, historical racial segregation, intensified by apartheid, created an inherent structural vulnerability, which has contributed to social and economic inequality in places such as Soweto (Coovadia et al, 2009). These inequalities have shaped how many Black South Africans residing in Soweto eat and move, exemplified by decreased physical activities, increasing consumption of high-energy processed foods (Wrottesley et al, 2019), leading to the massive increase of non-communicable diseases (NCDs; Micklesfield et al, 2013).…”