Emerging Evidence of the Physical Activity Transition in Kenya

Abstract

Background:Comparable data to examine the physical activity (PA) transition in African countries such as Kenya are lacking.Methods:We assessed PA levels from urban (UKEN) and rural (RKEN) environments to examine any evidence of a PA transition. Nine- to twelve-year-old children participated in the study: n = 96 and n = 73 children from UKEN and RKEN, respectively. Pedometers were used to estimate children’s daily step count. Parental perception regarding their child’s PA patterns was collected via questionnaire (n = 172).Results:RKEN children were more physically active than their UKEN counterparts with a mean average steps per day (± SE) of 14,700 ± 521 vs. 11,717 ± 561 (P < .0001) for RKEN vs. UKEN children respectively. 62.5% of the UKEN children spent 0 hours per week playing screen games compared with 13.1% of UKEN children who spent more than 11 hours per week playing screen games. Seventy percent of UKEN and 34% of RKEN parents reported being more active during childhood than their children respectively.Conclusions:Results of this study are indicative of a PA transition in Kenya. Further research is needed to gather national data on the PA patterns of Kenyan children to minimize the likelihood of a public health problem due to physical inactivity.

Physical activity of children from a small rural town, South Africa

“…A comparison between these rural 9-11-year-old South African children (predominantly Caucasian children) and 9-12-year-old children from rural Kenya (only black African children), also indicated that the rural Kenyan children are more active than this study group (14 700 +/-521 versus 11 601 +/-2 454). 13 This trend is supported by Craig et al; they reported high activity volume Canadian children in the same age groups (CANPLAY) (Figure 2). 9 This study, the largest and most comprehensive set of sex-and age-specific normative reference data for children's and adolescents' pedometer-determined physical activity to date, was done between 2005 and 2011 on 21 271 children (5-12 years) and 12 956 adolescents (13-19 years) and correlates with other international reference literature on the normative values for physical activity.…”

Global Matrix 2.0: Report Card Grades on the Physical Activity of Children and Youth Comparing 38 Countries

“…[92][93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100] Generational declines in active transportation 101,102 and independent mobility 103 have also been observed. These trends are consistent with the increased fear of the outdoors and a convenience lifestyle.…”

“…107 Temptations for sedentary behaviors are increasing as the world becomes increasingly cyber-centric, auto-dependent, and urbanized, consistent with epidemiological and physical activity transitions. 18,19,101 Self-report sedentary behavior data on representative samples of children and youth from 42 countries revealed that 62% and 63% of 13-and 15-year-olds, respectively, watched ≥2 hours of television per day on weekdays. 7 Despite evidence that television viewing time in some countries may be decreasing among children, other sedentary screen time use (eg, computers, tablets, smartphones, electronic games) has more than compensated for this decline.…”

“…Active transportation, whether for school, work, chores, or play varies dramatically between urban and rural settings, especially in LMIC where motorized transport is often not available. 19,101,104 It will be important to carefully monitor active transportation behaviors in rural areas in developing countries as motorized transport becomes increasingly available and subsistence demands become increasingly mechanized. 19 During this transition in these needs-based circumstances, it is also important to monitor and mitigate the unintended consequence of pedestrian injuries associated with children actively commuting.…”

Low levels of physical activity in female adolescents cause overweight and obesity: Are our schools failing our children?

“…[11] Life in an urban setting has a severe negative impact on the amount of physical activity a child has the chance to enjoy. [12] In urban and periurban regions, safety concerns contribute to the decrease in physical activity, [11] e.g. it is no longer safe for children to walk to school or to play in parks.…”