Physical activity and sedentary behaviors associated with overweight and obesity among primary school children in Tanzania: a case-control study

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dc.contributor.authorPacific, Renatha
dc.contributor.authorKulwa, Kissa
dc.contributor.authorMartin, Haikael D.
dc.contributor.authorPetrucka, Pammla
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-02T06:26:26Z
dc.date.available2026-06-02T06:26:26Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.descriptionResearch paper on Nutrition & Food Science, 52(5), 765-777.
dc.description.abstractPurpose – This study aims at determining the risk of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors on overweight and obesity among primary school children aged 10–13 years in Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach – A case-control study was conducted from January to March 2020 involving 69 overweight/obese children as cases and 138 normal weight children as controls. Cases were identified as having body mass index-for-age þ1 standard deviation (SD) and controls as those having BMI-for-age range between 2 SD to <þ1 SD. A validated questionnaire was used for data collection on daily physical activities and sedentary behavior types, frequency duration and activity score. An independent sample t-test was used to compare means of activity score between cases and controls. Binary logistic regression was used to predict risk factors for overweight/obesity. Findings – Risk factors for overweight/obesity were listening to music and/or radio for >2 h/week (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2–6.1) and walking for exercise <2 h/week (OR 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–4.1). On the other hand, rope skipping for >2 h/week (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03–0.7) was a protective factor against overweight/obesity. Controls had a significantly higher mean score of being active during lunch breaks compared to cases (p = 0.012). Cases had higher weight, height and percentage body fat than controls (p < 0.001). The home environment provided more avenues for physical activity than the school environment. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is original research work and the first case- control study to predict physical activity and sedentary behaviors as risk factors for overweight and obesity in Tanzanian school children.
dc.identifier.citationDOI 10.1108/NFS-09-2021-0273
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7640
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherEmerald
dc.relation.ispartofseriesNutrition & Food Science Vol. 52 No. 5
dc.subjectTanzania
dc.subjectPhysical activity
dc.subjectCase-control
dc.subjectSedentary behavior
dc.subjectOverweight
dc.subjectObesity
dc.subjectSchool children
dc.subjectCases
dc.subjectControls
dc.titlePhysical activity and sedentary behaviors associated with overweight and obesity among primary school children in Tanzania: a case-control study
dc.typeArticle

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