scholarly journals Longitudinal Effects of Excessive Weight and Obesity on Academic Performance of Primary School Boys in Different Socio-Economic Statuses: The NW-CHILD Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 8891
Author(s):  
Dané Coetzee ◽  
Wilmarié du Plessis ◽  
Deidré van Staden
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Primary School ◽  
The Body ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Child Study ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Excessive Weight ◽  
North West Province

Obesity affects millions of children worldwide and can often impact their academic performance. This longitudinal study, conducted over seven years, determines the effects of excessive weight and obesity on the academic performance of primary school boys, taking into account their socio-economic status (SES). The study forms part of a seven-year (2010–2016) longitudinal study, the North-West Child-Health-Integrated-Learning and Development (NW-CHILD) study, which includes a baseline measurement and two follow-up measurements of the 181 participants from varying areas in the North West Province. Two-way frequency tables, repeated measure ANOVA’s and Spearman rank order correlations were used to analyze the data. The Body Mass Index (BMI) of the participants reported an increase from 2010–2016. Nearly all of the school subjects reported small to large correlations between BMI and academic performance (r ≥ 0.1 and r ≥ 0.3), except for Afrikaans in 2013 (r = −0.06). Only two subjects (English and Language as tested with the ANA test) reported medium effects (r ≥ 0.3), whereas the other subjects only reported small effects (r ≥ 0.1). No statistically significant relationships (p ≥ 0.05) were observed between the BMI values and academic subjects, however SES and school subject scores reported several statistically significant relationships, especially regarding Language (English and First Additional Language) and Mathematics (p = 0.02). Overweight and obese primary school boys in the North West Province of South Africa reported a higher academic performance in comparison to boys of a normal weight, even when SES was taken into consideration. Further studies are recommended to verify current findings regarding weight, obesity and academic performance.

scholarly journals Longitudinal effects of stunting and wasting on academic performance of primary school boys: The North-West Child-Health-Integrated-Learning and Development study

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dané Coetzee ◽  
Wilmarié Du Plessis ◽  
Deidré Van Staden
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Child Study ◽  
North West Province

Background: A worldwide occurrence like stunting and wasting affects both children’s health and academic performance.Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of stunting and wasting on academic performance amongst primary school boys over a period of 7 years (2010–2016) in the North West Province of South Africa.Methods: The study forms part of a longitudinal research design, the North-West Child-Health-Integrated-Learning and Development (NW-CHILD) study, stretched over a period of 7 years from 2010 to 2016. Baseline measurements and two follow-up measurements of boys (n = 181) formed part of this study. Two-way frequency tables and Analyses of variance (ANOVA) tests were used to analyse the data (p ≤ 0.05).Setting: The study was conducted in the North West Province of South Africa.Results: The prevalence of stunting (3.32% – 6.63%) and wasting (3.86% – 6.63%) increased each year from 2010 to 2016. Language, mathematics and overall average academic scores were affected statistically by stunting and wasting (p ≤ 0.05). Over a period of 7 years (overall), it was found that stunting and wasting influenced academic performance, especially concerning language and mathematic subjects.Conclusion: Stunted and wasted primary school boys in the North West Province of South Africa reported a strong negative association with academic performance, especially language and mathematic subjects. Limited data are available concerning stunting, wasting and academic performance, and further studies are therefore recommended to strengthen and support the findings of this study with regard to a better understanding of the effect.

scholarly journals Long-Term Influences of Stunting, Being Underweight, and Thinness on the Academic Performance of Primary School Girls: The NW-CHILD Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 8973
Author(s):  
Xonné Haywood ◽  
Anita Elizabeth Pienaar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Primary School ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Bonferroni Adjustment ◽  
North West Province ◽  
School Girls ◽  
Over Time

Poor socio-economic status contributes to undernutrition which, in turn, can increase the risk of academic underachievement. This study wants to determine if stunting, being underweight, and thinness show long term relations with academic performance in primary school girls aged 6 to 13 in the North West province of South Africa. A randomized and stratified longitudinal research design including a baseline and two time-point measurements over seven school years was used. The sample included girls aged 6 to 13 years (N = 198) in the North West province of South Africa. Academic performance in the June school assessments and national and provincial assessments in grades 1, 4, and 7 were used to determine academic performance. Independent t-testing was used to determine differences between thinness, underweight and stunted girls as opposed to a reference group with no undernutrition indices. A repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni adjustment analyzed relations over time. Normal weight girls significantly outperformed stunted girls academically (p < 0.05) over time. Stunting had prolonged and significant negative influences on language, mathematics, and grade point average (p < 0.05). Early identification of undernutrition, especially stunting, is important for intervention and the implementation of timely prevention strategies, especially during early childhood years.

scholarly journals Influences of persistent overweight on perceptual-motor proficiency of primary school children: the North-West CHILD longitudinal study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elna de Waal ◽  
Anita Elizabeth Pienaar
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Primary School ◽  
School Children ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Running Speed ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Motor Proficiency ◽  
North West ◽  
The North

Abstract Background Overweight can be a precursor of poor motor execution, negatively impacting the overall development of school-aged children on various levels. This study determined the long-term influences of overweight on perceptual-motor proficiency (PMP) of primary school children in the North-West Province of South Africa. Methods The study, which included 381 participants, formed part of the NW-CHILD longitudinal study from Grade 1 (6.86 years, ± 0.39) in 2010 to Grade 7 (12.9 years, ± 0.38) in 2016. Socioeconomic categories, called quintiles, were used to compare high and low socioeconomic status groups. Overweight was identified when BMI values fell above the 85th percentile, using age- and gender-specific cut-off points. The group was categorised into 4 BMI groups (never overweight, persistent overweight, overweight-to-normal and normal-to-overweight). The Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2) Short Form and selected composites measuring strength, balance, and running speed and agility were used to assess PMP. Results A repeated measures ANOVA analysis indicated specific PMP differences between different BMI groups, but not total motor proficiency (BOT-2 Short Form total) differences. Practical significant group differences (Cohen’s d-values) were found in running speed and agility, strength, balance and the BOT-2 total, over seven primary school years. The persistent overweight group showed the poorest performance over time, but also showed deteriorating skills and a gradual widening in perceptual-motor skills performance, compared to the other groups. BMI-related differences in perceptual-motor coordination were also more pronounced in older age groups. Conclusions Persistent overweight negatively impacts specific motor-proficiency components, while improving weight status can counter these effects, which highlights the importance of timeous intervention to combat obesity at a young age.

scholarly journals Prevalence of overweight and obesity in grade 1 learners in the North West Province of South Africa: The NW-CHILD Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
A E Pienaar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Transition ◽  
Black Children ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
White Children ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Child Study ◽  
North West Province

Objectives. To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among grade 1 learners, taking into account age, gender, race and school socioeconomic profile. Methods. The study is based on the baseline prevalence of overweight and obesity as part of the ongoing 6-year longitudinal NW Child Health Integrated Learning and Development (NW-CHILD) study. Stratified random sampling was used to identify 20 schools from four educational districts across all five quintiles of schools in the North West Province (NWP) of South Africa (SA). A total of 816 (419 boys, 397 girls) grade 1 learners with a mean age of 6.80 (standard deviation 0.39) years participated in the study, including 567 black learners, 218 white learners and 31 learners from other race groups. Standard anthropometric techniques and international body mass index (BMI) cut-off points for children were used to determine overweight and obesity. Results. A combined prevalence of overweight and obesity (Ow/Ob) of 11.1% was found, of which 7.5% were overweight and 3.6% obese. Although 7-year-old children showed a significantly higher prevalence of overweight (10.5%) than 6-year-old children (6.3%; p<0.05), obesity levels were more prevalent among 6-year-old children (4.7%) than 7-year-old children (2.3%). Although not significant, a higher prevalence of overweight (9.3 v. 6.4%) and obesity (4.3% v. 3.3%) was found in girls than boys. For the whole sample, white children displayed a significantly higher prevalence of Ow/Ob compared with black children (19.7% v. 8.8%; p<0.05), and the prevalence of Ow/Ob was higher in 4th- (18.1%) and 5th- (21.2%) quintile schools (which are associated with higher socioeconomic status (SES)) than in quintile 1 to quintile 3 schools (5.1%, 8.7%, 6.1%, respectively; p<0.05). Conclusions. More than 10% of grade 1 learners in the NWP of SA were overweight or obese, with the prevalence being significantly lower in lower SES schools and among black children. Prevention strategies are needed to combat overweight and obesity, and the associated negative consequences of these health risks. Obesity levels in black children should also be monitored because of continuing economic transition, and taking into account increasing overweight and obesity in black South African adults.

BIOSOCIAL CORRELATES OF AGE AT FIRST SEXUAL INTERCOURSE: THE CASE OF GRADE 9 AND GRADE 11 PUPILS IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
ACHEAMPONG YAW AMOATENG ◽  
ISHMAEL KALULE-SABITI
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Sexual Intercourse ◽  
Sexual Debut ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽  
North West ◽  
First Sexual Intercourse ◽  
The North ◽  
North West Province ◽  
Grade 11

SummarySurvival analysis – specifically the actuarial life-table method and the Cox Proportional Hazards model – was used to assess Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological model with regards to the onset of sexual intercourse in a random sample of 1697 grade 9 and grade 11 pupils in the North West Province of South Africa. Data were collected in July and August 2007. Of the contextual factors examined, only academic performance and community disorganization were found to be statistically significantly associated with age at first sexual intercourse amongst girls. High academic performance by girls is positively associated with age at first sexual intercourse, while girls who live in disorganized communities initiate sexual intercourse earlier than their counterparts in other communities. Age is negatively associated with the timing of first sexual debut among both girls and boys. Males initiate sexual intercourse earlier than females, while youths with at least one sexual partner are much more likely to initiate sexual intercourse earlier than those without sexual partners.

An Empirical Study of Human Trafficking Law in Cameroon: Victims Rarely Seek Justice and Traffickers Are Not Held Liable

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 430-441
Author(s):  
Monique Aziza
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
West Region ◽  
Arduous Task ◽  
Adults And Children

This article argues that the number of unprosecuted human traffickers is growing in Cameroon. This article aims to examine Cameroonian government officials, prosecutors and judiciary attitudes to human trafficking laws, which endanger Cameroonians. This article is an empirical study of victims of human trafficking. It takes an objective look at Cameroon's anti-trafficking law that criminalises the trafficking of adults and children. It is evident that societal discrimination towards the North West region, lack of opportunities for free education or to a trade post-primary school and the lack of enforcement of the anti-trafficking law are making combating human trafficking an arduous task.

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