Leisure-time physical inactivity is a global public health concern affecting all people in different walks of life, including employees. This inactivity is associated with chronic diseases of lifestyle as well as low work capacity. The purpose of this study was two-fold: to determine leisure-time physical activity (LTPAI), coronary risk- (CRI), health status (HSI) and lifestyle (LSI) indexes of some executive employees in selected African countries; and to determine the effect of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on the coronary risk-, health status- and lifestyle- indexes of some executive employees in selected African countries.A cross-sectional study design was followed on a group of 156 (mean age 41.22±10.17) executive employees. Participants were grouped according to age (<35 years; 36–46 years and > 46 years). Standardized questionnaires were used to collect data. Out of 156 participants in the study, 43% occupied top level management and 57% middle level management positions. When data were analyzed according to age groups, 31% and 69% in the less than 35 years age group were in the top and the middle level management, respectively. In the age group 36 to 46 years of age, 47% were in the top level of management and 52.8% middle level management. With regard to LTPA, top level managers (71.6%) scored low LTPA as compared to middle level managers (62.9%). Top level managers scored higher percentages (14.9%) for developing the risk of coronary heart disease. The results show a negative effect of physical activity on selected health parameters, with significant negative relationships between low LTPA and daily lifestyle index (r= -0.52; p=0.01), and moderate LTPA and daily lifestyle index (r= -0.71; p<0.001) for middle managers. It can be concluded that both top and middle level managers exhibited low LTPA and high risk for developing coronary heart disease. It was apparent that the managers in low LTPA are prone to bad stages of life style, health status and coronary risk- indexes compared to the ones with moderate and high LTPA. Additionally, low and moderate LTPA inversely affected selected health parameters of executive employees. No significant association was found for high LTPA with selected health parameters. The study therefore recommends a strategic intervention programme geared towards improving the present state of affairs among the managers in the corporate environment. / Thesis (MA (Biokinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Participation in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is vital to ensure adequate physical work capacity for the demands of daily living and job performance. Due to work demand, most top and middle (executive) managerial employees become physically inactive and experience psychological and other health problems which may lead to hypokinetic diseases and even premature death. The purpose of this study was twofold: to determine leisure-time physical activity and psychological well-being status of executive employees; and to determine the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and psychological well-being status of executive employees in selected African countries. A cross-sectional study design was carried out on a group of 156 (mean age 41.22±10.17) available executive employees from selected African countries. Participants were grouped according to age (≤35 years; 36–46 years and ≥ 46 years). Standardised questionnaires were used to collect the data. Subsequently, total scores were calculated for all variables. Out of 156 participants in the study, 42.9% occupied top level management and 57.1% middle level management positions. When data was analysed according to age groups, 31.4% and 68.6% in the less than 35 years age group were in the top and the middle level management positions respectively. In the age group 36 to 46 years, 47.2% occupied the top level management position and 52.8% occupied the middle level management position. With regard to LTPA, top level managers (71.6%) scored low LTPA compared to the middle level managers (62.9%). In addition, both the top and middle level managers reported bad emotional index (49.3%; 56.2%) and happiness index (41.8%; 37.1%) respectively. Though not significant, LTPA was positively associated with psychological well-being parameters amongst top level managers. The study concluded that both top and middle level managers exhibited low LTPA, and with no participation in high physical activity among top level managers. In addition, more middle level managers reported bad emotional stage than the top level managers, while the top level managers were less happy than the middle level managers. The study therefore recommends urgent strategic intervention programmes for leisure-time physical activity and psychological well-being. / MSc (Biokinetics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Leisure-time physical inactivity is a global public health concern affecting all people in different walks of life, including employees. This inactivity is associated with chronic diseases of lifestyle as well as low work capacity. The purpose of this study was two-fold: to determine leisure-time physical activity (LTPAI), coronary risk- (CRI), health status (HSI) and lifestyle (LSI) indexes of some executive employees in selected African countries; and to determine the effect of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on the coronary risk-, health status- and lifestyle- indexes of some executive employees in selected African countries.A cross-sectional study design was followed on a group of 156 (mean age 41.22±10.17) executive employees. Participants were grouped according to age (<35 years; 36–46 years and > 46 years). Standardized questionnaires were used to collect data. Out of 156 participants in the study, 43% occupied top level management and 57% middle level management positions. When data were analyzed according to age groups, 31% and 69% in the less than 35 years age group were in the top and the middle level management, respectively. In the age group 36 to 46 years of age, 47% were in the top level of management and 52.8% middle level management. With regard to LTPA, top level managers (71.6%) scored low LTPA as compared to middle level managers (62.9%). Top level managers scored higher percentages (14.9%) for developing the risk of coronary heart disease. The results show a negative effect of physical activity on selected health parameters, with significant negative relationships between low LTPA and daily lifestyle index (r= -0.52; p=0.01), and moderate LTPA and daily lifestyle index (r= -0.71; p<0.001) for middle managers. It can be concluded that both top and middle level managers exhibited low LTPA and high risk for developing coronary heart disease. It was apparent that the managers in low LTPA are prone to bad stages of life style, health status and coronary risk- indexes compared to the ones with moderate and high LTPA. Additionally, low and moderate LTPA inversely affected selected health parameters of executive employees. No significant association was found for high LTPA with selected health parameters. The study therefore recommends a strategic intervention programme geared towards improving the present state of affairs among the managers in the corporate environment. / Thesis (MA (Biokinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Background: South Africa is a multicultural, multi-ethnic developing country currently experiencing a unique quadruple burden of disease, of which malnutrition (both over- and under nutrition) is one of them. The increase in childhood obesity within the current South-African health setting is of serious concern, approximately 14% boys and 18% girls currently are overweight and it is estimated that this number will increase to 25% within the next decade. Healthy eating habits and increased physical activity are important components of a healthy lifestyle, and decrease the risk of overweight and obesity. It is also often the corner stone of many lifestyle modification intervention programmes aimed at preventing or decreasing overweight/obesity. Aim: This sub-study was part of a larger intervention study where a nutrition education intervention programme (NEIP) for children in the form of a musical play (based on the South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines [SAFBDG]) was developed to increase nutrition knowledge and thereby also contribute towards healthy lifestyle behaviour. The aim of this sub-study was therefore to explore and describe the attitude of a specific group of primary school children (aged 6-12 years) towards healthy eating, unhealthy eating, and physical activity before and after a NEIP as well as the standard school curriculum. Secondly, it was aimed to identify possible barriers to and motivators for healthy eating, unhealthy eating and physical activity. Methods: Children were randomly selected from the experimental group (n=143) of the main study. Children were selected into one of four focus groups per school (6 children per focus group) from which qualitative data were gathered on children’s attitude and perception towards healthy eating, unhealthy eating, and physical activity. Focus groups were defined by age and gender (boys and girls seperately, grades I-III and grades IVVI seperately), totalling a number of 96 children. A total of 75 children completed this sub-study, 21 children dropped out due to school-related problems or after school activities that clashed with the time slots during which the NEIP was implimented. Quantitative data was gathered with a socio-demographic and physical activity questionnaire, as well as a 3-point hedonic facial expression scale which was used to quantify attitude towards healthy eating, unhealhty eating and physical activity. All data (quantitative and qualitative) were collected at both baseline and end measurements. Results: The main findings of this sub-study were that the attitude of most primary school children towards healthy eating, unhealthy eating or physical activity remained unchanged after a unique NEIP. Five major themes were identified out of focus group discussions namely health awareness, healthy eating, unhealthy eating, physical activity, and consequences of unhealthy eating and sedentary behaviour. Mothers were identified as the main motivator for eating healthy and avoiding unhealthy eating. The taste and smell of food were both either identified as motivators or barriers for healthy eating and unhealthy eating. Older girls associate unhealthy eating with becoming fat while many children associate the combination of unhealthy eating and being sedentary with becoming fat. Most children have a positive attitude towards physical activity and enjoy doing it although the biggest motivator for partaking in physical activity is their parents and not themselves. Conclusion: Even though some children’s attitude did change in the desired direction after the implementation of a unique and fun NEIP, most children’s attitude towards healthy eating, unhealthy eating and physical activity remained unchanged. This might have been due to the measurement tool that was not sensitive enough to detect subtle changes. Various factors that can influence children’s attitude and perceptions towards healthy eating, unhealthy eating and physical activity both positively or negatively were identified. This study is one of only a few that explored and described the ‘true’ motivators of and barriers for children’s attitude towards healthy eating, unhealthy eating and physical activity. Results generated from this sub-study can thus make a valuable contribution to the existing literature available in this specific study field. / Thesis (MSc (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide is viewed as a global epidemic (World Health Organization, 2010). It is associated with a variety of health problems as well as physical– (cardio–respiratory endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition), and motor proficiency (fine manual control, manual coordination, body coordination, and strength–and–agility) (Asayama et al., 2003:644; Okely et al., 2004:242; Tokmakidis et al., 2006:870). As far as the South African context is concerned, there is little research examining these relationships and the effect of physical intervention there upon, in nine– to 12–year old children. The first and second objectives of this study were to determine whether obesity would influence the physical– and/or the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old South African children. The third and fourth objectives of this study were to determine the effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on the physical– and the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old obese children. For objectives one and two, a cross–sectional study was performed on 280 children (128 boys and 152 girls), with an average age of 10.6 years (±1.05). Anthropometric–, physical– and motor measurements were obtained by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005). Body mass index (BMI) cut–off points were used to classify the children as normal, overweight, or obese (Cole et al., 2000). The data was analysed with regard to the above–mentioned objectives with the Statistica computer program, by means of descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlations, and variance analyses. The results show that the physical fitness variables, cardio–respiratory endurance and muscular strength, particularly leg muscular strength, showed significant decreases with an increase in BMI. A progressive, but insignificant, decrease was found in muscular endurance with an increase in BMI, while flexibility showed the weakest relationship to BMI. The motor variables strength–and–agility weakened significantly with an increase in BMI, while fine manual control, manual coordination, and body coordination showed the weakest relationships to BMI. Variance analysis showed further significant relationships among BMI, cardio–respiratory endurance, muscular strength, and running speed–and–agility (p<0.05). It can be concluded that health–promoting physical fitness and the motor proficiency of young South African children are negatively influenced by obesity and intervention strategies are recommended to promote the quality of life of such children. For objectives three and four, an availability random sample of 37 experimental subjects, with an average age of 11 years (±0.99) was taken, where 20 subjects (seven boys and 13 girls) took part in a multidisciplinary intervention programme, and 17 subjects (six boys and 11 girls) formed part of a control group. Body composition, physical–, and motor proficiency were analysed by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005) during baseline measurements, on completion of the intervention programme, and after a follow–up period of three months. The results, which were analysed with a repeated–measures analysis, Bonferroni–post–hoc analysis, and dependent and independent t–tests, show that the intervention programme brought about a significant change in all the body composition variables, excluding body height. Flexibility, muscular strength, and abdominal muscular endurance, as well as one of the four fine manual control test items (folding paper), two of the 12 body coordination test items (tapping feet and fingers - opposite sides synchronised, and standing on one leg on a line - eyes closed), and six of the seven strength and agility test items (shuttle run, stepping sideways over a balance beam, one–legged stationary hops, one–legged side hops, two–legged side hops, and sit–ups), showed significant differences from the control group on completion of the intervention programme. The results indicate that the intervention brought about differences in body composition and physical– and motor proficiency and also showed a sustainable effect over a period of three months on body fat percentage, subscapular skinfold and leg muscular strength. From this, it can be deduced that young obese children need sustained guidance to be able to maintain the lifestyle adaptations that are required by obesity interventions. It can be concluded that the physical– and motor proficiency of children is negatively influenced by obesity, that a multidisciplinary intervention programme improves the body composition profile of obese children and has a positive effect on the physical– and the motor proficiency of obese nine– to 12–year old South African children, although the effect is not sustainable without ongoing, controlled intervention. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Kinderkinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide is viewed as a global epidemic (World Health Organization, 2010). It is associated with a variety of health problems as well as physical– (cardio–respiratory endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition), and motor proficiency (fine manual control, manual coordination, body coordination, and strength–and–agility) (Asayama et al., 2003:644; Okely et al., 2004:242; Tokmakidis et al., 2006:870). As far as the South African context is concerned, there is little research examining these relationships and the effect of physical intervention there upon, in nine– to 12–year old children. The first and second objectives of this study were to determine whether obesity would influence the physical– and/or the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old South African children. The third and fourth objectives of this study were to determine the effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on the physical– and the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old obese children. For objectives one and two, a cross–sectional study was performed on 280 children (128 boys and 152 girls), with an average age of 10.6 years (±1.05). Anthropometric–, physical– and motor measurements were obtained by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005). Body mass index (BMI) cut–off points were used to classify the children as normal, overweight, or obese (Cole et al., 2000). The data was analysed with regard to the above–mentioned objectives with the Statistica computer program, by means of descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlations, and variance analyses. The results show that the physical fitness variables, cardio–respiratory endurance and muscular strength, particularly leg muscular strength, showed significant decreases with an increase in BMI. A progressive, but insignificant, decrease was found in muscular endurance with an increase in BMI, while flexibility showed the weakest relationship to BMI. The motor variables strength–and–agility weakened significantly with an increase in BMI, while fine manual control, manual coordination, and body coordination showed the weakest relationships to BMI. Variance analysis showed further significant relationships among BMI, cardio–respiratory endurance, muscular strength, and running speed–and–agility (p<0.05). It can be concluded that health–promoting physical fitness and the motor proficiency of young South African children are negatively influenced by obesity and intervention strategies are recommended to promote the quality of life of such children. For objectives three and four, an availability random sample of 37 experimental subjects, with an average age of 11 years (±0.99) was taken, where 20 subjects (seven boys and 13 girls) took part in a multidisciplinary intervention programme, and 17 subjects (six boys and 11 girls) formed part of a control group. Body composition, physical–, and motor proficiency were analysed by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005) during baseline measurements, on completion of the intervention programme, and after a follow–up period of three months. The results, which were analysed with a repeated–measures analysis, Bonferroni–post–hoc analysis, and dependent and independent t–tests, show that the intervention programme brought about a significant change in all the body composition variables, excluding body height. Flexibility, muscular strength, and abdominal muscular endurance, as well as one of the four fine manual control test items (folding paper), two of the 12 body coordination test items (tapping feet and fingers - opposite sides synchronised, and standing on one leg on a line - eyes closed), and six of the seven strength and agility test items (shuttle run, stepping sideways over a balance beam, one–legged stationary hops, one–legged side hops, two–legged side hops, and sit–ups), showed significant differences from the control group on completion of the intervention programme. The results indicate that the intervention brought about differences in body composition and physical– and motor proficiency and also showed a sustainable effect over a period of three months on body fat percentage, subscapular skinfold and leg muscular strength. From this, it can be deduced that young obese children need sustained guidance to be able to maintain the lifestyle adaptations that are required by obesity interventions. It can be concluded that the physical– and motor proficiency of children is negatively influenced by obesity, that a multidisciplinary intervention programme improves the body composition profile of obese children and has a positive effect on the physical– and the motor proficiency of obese nine– to 12–year old South African children, although the effect is not sustainable without ongoing, controlled intervention. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Kinderkinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of an eight-week fundamental motor skills program on the physical and cognitive development of Grade 1 learners. The Basic Motor Ability Test was used in the evaluation of the 39 learners that formed the experimental group as well as for the 29 learners in the control group. Two additional subtests were included, namely the 400m endurance run and a dynamic balance test. After the initial testing the experimental group participated in an eight-week skills program for 30 minutes a day, four days a week. The program included stability, locomotor and manipulation activities. Hereafter a retest was done. The control group only completes the test and retest and not the skills program. The data of the variables tested were coded in computer format and statistically evaluated. In the processing of the data, the raw datum (performance) was converted to percentile norms. In order to determine if a child had improved in a certain physiological parameter percentile norms are used. The t-test was used to determine if the skills program had a positive influence on the variables tested. Two different t-test were used: the t-test for independent groups and the t-test for paired groups. The experimental research revealed that the skills program did not have a significant influence on most of the tested variables. In some instances the experimental and control groups were not on the same level at the start of the research, which made it more difficult to compare the two groups. For some variables both the experimental and control groups improved which is an indication that the improvement cannot be ascribed to the skills program alone. The following two variables, sit-and-reach and co-ordination (hand-eye) did improve notably and it may be due to the influence of the skills program. In both instances the average performance of the experimental group improved while this improvement was not evident in the control group. The cognitive variables were assessed by a questionnaire administered by each learner’s teacher after the conclusion of the skills program. Only the experimental group was involved. The questionnaire consisted of six questions comprising both categorical and open responses. The cognitive variables that were assessed were the following: 1. venturesome ness; 2. attention and concentration; 3. self esteem; 4. socialization and ability to work in a group; 5. ability to plan; and 6. ability to finish his/her given task. The results indicated that more than half of the learners improved in all the cognitive variables. Socialization and the ability to work in a group improved in most of the learners. / Thesis (DPhil (Human Movement Science))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted