Report sounds activity warning over SA kids

For the first time in history, there are more children overweight and obese compared to those who are under-nourished or stunted, and less than 20% of children and youth are meeting recommendations for physical activity.

The 2016 Healthy Active Kids South Africa (HAKSA) Report Card was launched nationally this week – a combined effort of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa and Discovery Vitality. Two Rhodes University academics, Professor Candice Christie (Department of Human Kinetics and Ergonomics) and Professor Harry Dugmore (Journalism and Media Studies), have been involved in the project for the past few years. They contributed to the 2014 report card and the 2016 version.

Nearly 40 countries participate in this Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance which includes academics, educators, health professionals and other stakeholders. The idea is to get children (and parents) to be more active and to support healthy eating. The initiative includes a comparison of data about South African children over time (2007, 2010, 2014 and now 2016) and also to compare South Africa to the other participating countries. The report cards grade various aspects of activity and eating behaviour in children and youth aged 6 to 18 years. An A grade means you are doing great and a F grade means you fare really badly. The overall grade for the South African Report Card is a ‘C’ for overall physical activity and a ‘D’ for overweight and obesity.

According to Professor Vicki Lambert from UCT, who has led the South African arm of the project, less than 20% of children and youth are meeting recommendations for physical activity.

Further, for the first time in history, there are more children overweight and obese compared to those who are under-nourished or stunted. Both over and under nutrition can result in malnutrition, which is rife in South Africa.

One in four pre-schoolers is overweight or obese, while one in five is stunted, with 74% of children in rural settings being underweight.

Less than half of our children participate in sport and few schools have a physical education programme.

Primary school children (50%) are below average for general motor fitness skills and there is a known link between this and poor academic performance.

Our children are also spending more time being sedentary, watching television or on their electronic devices – this in itself is an independent risk factor for chronic disease.

Children who are active but who spend the rest of their time sedentary are also at risk for chronic disease, so breaking up sitting time at school is paramount.

“The question is, who is responsible for ensuring our children become more active and eat healthier?” Christie said. “The answer is that it is all of us – the government, community leaders, schools, parents, learners, etc. So part of the initiative is to encourage and facilitate interventions so that we can make our children and nation healthy.”