Background: The youth's lack of knowledge and misconception on Physical Activity (PA) and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) risk factors aid the growing burden of NCDs globally. This study explored the knowledge and perception of youth in a low-resource community in the Western Cape Province. Methods: A qualitative methodological approach was used for data collection, using a qualitative exploratory study design. Convenience sampling was used to select participants, aged 18-35 years old from Vrygrond in the Western Cape Province. Focused group discussions were steered by means of a semi-structured interview questionnaire to guide the discussion about perceptions and knowledge of PA and NCDs risk factors. Discussions were analysed using Atlas.Ti8. Results: A total of 22 female youth participated in this study. The majority of the participants were single (86.3%), unemployed (63.6%) and secondary schooling (72.7%) of the highest level of education. Results indicated that the participants had little knowledge about PA, but lacked sufficient knowledge with regards to NCDs. Time constraints, lack of interest, low self-esteem, lack of awareness, safety, and financial constraints, knowledge deficit, parental influence, peer pressure, and poverty were seen as a barrier to physical activity and NCDs risk factor. Conclusion: Findings from this study could formulate a policy at the provincial and national level, to provide cost-effective and sustainable educative program as an intervention which addresses youth misconception on physical activity and NCDs risks factor in the 21st century, especially among female youth residing in a low resource community in Western Cape.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of selected risk factors for cardiometabolic disease among university staff at the University in the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. The secondary objective was to examine the association between the indicators of obesity and CMD risk factors. Methods: A total of 73 (men = 20 (27.4%); women = 53 (72.6%)) healthy university staff members, which include academics, administrators, and support staff, with a mean age of 39.2 years partook in the study. Anthropometric and physiological variables were assessed and analysed. Results: The categorisation of body mass index showed that 35% and 45.3% of men and women were obese, respectively. The prevalence of central obesity and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) showed that 25% of men and 60.4% of women were at a high risk of developing a CMD, while 25% and 71.7% of men and women were at high risk for waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), respectively. The prevalence of hypertension revealed that 35% and 20.8%, 5% and 17%, and 15% and 9.4% of men and women had elevated hypertension (stage I) and hypertension (stage II) status, respectively. Furthermore, 25% and 35.8%, and 5% and 11.3% of men and women were pre-diabetic and diabetic, respectively, while for total cholesterol levels, 40% and 34%, and 15% and 15.1% of men and women were at borderline high and high risk, respectively. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of selected cardiometabolic disease risk factors among university staff that requires urgent intervention. Lifestyle modification, weight management, and wellness programmes focusing on health education, regular physical activity participation, and a healthy diet should be prioritized.