scholarly journals High prevalence of overall overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity amongst adolescents: An emerging nutritional problem in rural high schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sego Debeila ◽  
Perpetua Modjadji ◽  
Sphiwe Madiba
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Abdominal Obesity ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Rural High Schools ◽  
Nutritional Problem ◽  
High Prevalence

scholarly journals Prevalence and determinants of stunting and overweight in 3-year-old black South African children residing in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 501-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramoteme L Mamabolo ◽  
Marianne Alberts ◽  
Nelia P Steyn ◽  
Henriette A Delemarre-van de Waal ◽  
Naomi S Levitt
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
First Year ◽  
Working Mother ◽  
Rural Villages ◽  
Black South African ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
First Year Of Life

AbstractObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight and their determinants in 3-year-old children in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingRural villages in the Central Region of the Limpopo Province, South Africa.SubjectsOne hundred and sixty-two children who were followed from birth were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic characteristics of the children were recorded.ResultsHeight-for-age Z-scores were low, with a high prevalence of stunting (48%). The children also exhibited a high prevalence of overweight (22%) and obesity (24%). Thirty-one (19%) children were both stuntedandoverweight. Gaining more weight within the first year of life increased the risk of being overweight at 3 years by 2.39 times (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.96–4.18) while having a greater length at 1 year was protective against stunting (odds ratio (OR) 0.41; 95% CI 0.17–0.97). Having a mother as a student increased the risk for stunting at 3 years by 18.21 times (95% CI 9.46–34.74) while having a working mother increased the risk for overweight by 17.87 times (95% CI 8.24–38.78). All these factors also appeared as risks or as being protective in children who were both overweight and stunted, as did living in a household having nine or more persons (OR 5.72; 95% CI 2.7–12.10).ConclusionThe results of this study highlight the importance of evaluating anthropometric status in terms of both stunting and overweight. Furthermore, it is important to realise the importance of normal length and weight being attained at 1 year of age, since these in turn predict nutritional status at 3 years of age.

scholarly journals A REFLECTION ON GENDER ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCES’ RURAL SCHOOL SETTINGS OF MULTICULTURAL SOUTH AFRICA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Mokoena ◽  
◽  
Gregory Alexander ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High Schools ◽  
South African ◽  
The Body ◽  
Physical Sciences ◽  
Rural High Schools ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
South African Education ◽  
Gender Achievement

The participation of learners in science is important to a country’s socio-economic development impediments, therefore, the argument is that the girl learner should be increasingly encouraged to perform well in STEM related subjects (STATS SA). UNESCO indicates 35% women representative in STEM as students in higher education globally, whilst less than 40% of South Africa’s scientists, engineers and technologists are women. This situation also relates to the South African education system, particularly in rural schools where girl learners are outperformed by boy learners in STEM, especially, in subjects such as Life Sciences and Physical Sciences. The purpose of this reflective paper is to ascertain the factors prohibiting excellent achievement of females in sciences in rural high schools of South Africa. The data has been gathered from numerous documents such as national and provincial analysis of result, examination and assessment directorate analysis and the district statistics in solidifying our investigation as couched by document analysis. Based on our observations and experiences of the conditions prevailing in rural high schools and less participation of female learner access in STEM, suggestions are put forth as to how their performance can be improved. The investment thereof in the body of knowledge will be to fulfil the concern not only of the country but the world at large when the number of female participants increase in STEM.

scholarly journals Dropout in High Schools students–Modeling a Case Study in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-72
Author(s):  
Kwabena A. Kyei
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High School ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Dropout Rate ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
School Work ◽  
Under Performing ◽  
Vhembe District

South Africa experiences a significant amount of dropouts of high school learners every year. Only about 45% of learners who start primary school in a given year write matriculation examinations after 10 years of schooling. A high dropout rate deprives the country of well-informed and competent future leaders. This study looks at the factors that underlie dropout in high schools in the Vhembe district. A random sample of 5 villages was selected from 25 villages which have high schools. A census of high school dropouts in these 5 villages was conducted. About 660 dropouts were obtained and interviewed. Applying regression modeling, this study shows that poor performance, attitude, punishment and pregnancy are the factors affecting dropout in Vhembe, and recommends that educators encourage learners to develop positive attitude to school work and also give extra assistance to under-performing learners, and sex education be given with seriousness to reduce unwanted pregnancies.

scholarly journals (RE)THINKING AND (RE)POSITIONING LIBRARY PROGRAMMES AND SERVICES IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

Mousaion ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 60-88
Author(s):  
Maredi Samuel Mojapelo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
School Library ◽  
Independent Study ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Public High Schools

Well-designed and well-planned library school programmes and services are essential to improve the development of reading and information literacy skills, particularly of the learners, which are crucial for the acquisition of life-long learning and independent study and accessing skills. However, because of inadequate and inefficient school library services in most South African schools, teachers and learners are deprived of opportunities to benefit and practically learn library programmes essential for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, competencies, values and orientations. They are also denied fundamental library services due to them. Based on one part of the research project which investigated the resource provision in public high schools in Limpopo province, South Africa, the purpose of this article is to investigate the programmes and services offered by the different library facilities in public high schools in Limpopo province. Although the study took a largely quantitative research design, it was mixed with qualitative data collection methods. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from the principals or teacher-librarians, while an interview schedule was used to collect qualitative data from the education officials through face-to-face interviews. The findings established that owing to lack of functional libraries in most schools, there are very few schools offering library services and programmes. The study recommends that the national Department of Basic Education (DBE) should ensure that school a library policy with clearly defined library programmes and services is formulated, approved and implemented as a matter of urgency.

scholarly journals Prevalence of anaemia and its associated factors in African children at one and three years residing in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa

Curationis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramoteme L. Mamabolo ◽  
Marianne Alberts
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Age Factors ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Full Blood Count ◽  
Rural Villages ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
One Year ◽  
Folate And Vitamin B12 ◽  
Study Participants

Objective: The present study evaluated the prevalence of anaemia and its determinants in one- and three-year-old children from the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: A prospective cohort study conducted in rural villages in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. At birth, a cohort of 219 children was followed until they were one and three years of age. Data collected included the children’s anthropometric measurements, blood for biochemical analysis (full blood count, ferritin, folate and vitamin B12) and socio-demographic status.Results: At one year, anaemia (Hb < 11 g/dL) was present in 52% of the children, decreasing to 22% by the third year. Iron deficiency (ferritin < 12 µg/mL) was common in these children (39% and 33% at one year and three years, respectively) particularly in the presence of anaemia. Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies (< 5 ng/mL and < 145 pg/mL, respectively) were common at one year, with the children accumulating enough vitamin B12 by three years; however, folate deficiency levels remained fairly constant between the two time points.Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of anaemia in the study participants at one year and three years of age. Factors that increased the risk of anaemia at three years were: a mother with only a primary school education, anaemia at one year, male gender, overweight, and combined overweight and stunting. Protective factors against anaemia were having a younger mother who served as the main caregiver.

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