Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania
BackgroundPhysical activity is pivotal in promoting overall health and wellbeing, improving brain function and cognitive performance, and reducing risk of excessive weight and non-communicable diseases. Despite these benefits, physical inactivity among children and adolescents remains a global conce...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| author | Fahad S. Mwakalebela Fahad S. Mwakalebela Elihaika G. Minja Elihaika G. Minja Elihaika G. Minja Yohana A. Mwalugelo Erick Killel Erick Killel Rehema K. Rajab Rehema K. Rajab Getrud J. Mollel Getrud J. Mollel Winifrida Mponzi Honorati Masanja Fredros O. Okumu Fredros O. Okumu Christin Lang Markus Gerber Jürg Utzinger Jürg Utzinger Kurt Z. Long Kurt Z. Long Efraim M. Kosia Ester Elisaria Ester Elisaria Marceline F. Finda |
| author_facet | Fahad S. Mwakalebela Fahad S. Mwakalebela Elihaika G. Minja Elihaika G. Minja Elihaika G. Minja Yohana A. Mwalugelo Erick Killel Erick Killel Rehema K. Rajab Rehema K. Rajab Getrud J. Mollel Getrud J. Mollel Winifrida Mponzi Honorati Masanja Fredros O. Okumu Fredros O. Okumu Christin Lang Markus Gerber Jürg Utzinger Jürg Utzinger Kurt Z. Long Kurt Z. Long Efraim M. Kosia Ester Elisaria Ester Elisaria Marceline F. Finda |
| author_sort | Fahad S. Mwakalebela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundPhysical activity is pivotal in promoting overall health and wellbeing, improving brain function and cognitive performance, and reducing risk of excessive weight and non-communicable diseases. Despite these benefits, physical inactivity among children and adolescents remains a global concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Only few studies have explored the association between physical activity, nutritional status, and cognitive performance in LMICs like Tanzania. This study assessed these associations among school children in a rural setting in southern Tanzania.MethodsPhysical activity was assessed using an actigraphy device that assessed 7-day average of physical activity among school children aged 6–13 years. Cognitive performance was assessed via the Flanker task, which assessed the executive domain of cognitive functions, specifically information processing and inhibitory control. Weight was determined using Tanita digital scale, and height was measured using measuring board. A multinomial logistic regression model and a gamma generalized linear model with a log link function were used to examine the association between physical activity, nutritional status, and cognitive performance.ResultsAmong 678 children who participated in the baseline assessment, 77.9% had normal weight, 14.3% were underweight, 5.5% were overweight, and 2.4% were obese. Most (92.6%) of the children engaged in at least 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as per WHO recommendations. Children who did not meet the recommended MVPA level were nearly three times more likely to be obese compared to those who did. No statistically significant associations were found between physical activity and cognitive performance, or between nutritional status and cognitive performance.ConclusionThis study highlights a high prevalence of normal weight and adherence to WHO-recommended MVPA levels among school children in southern Tanzania. However, children not meeting MVPA criteria were more likely to be obese, indicating the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy weight. The lack of association between physical activity or nutritional status and cognitive performance, indicates that there may be additional factors that influence cognitive outcomes. Further research is needed to explore these interactions, particularly in rural LMIC settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d9f924a863314bbe9ca1d9022bf7d9f8 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-d9f924a863314bbe9ca1d9022bf7d9f82025-08-20T03:10:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-06-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15522151552215Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern TanzaniaFahad S. Mwakalebela0Fahad S. Mwakalebela1Elihaika G. Minja2Elihaika G. Minja3Elihaika G. Minja4Yohana A. Mwalugelo5Erick Killel6Erick Killel7Rehema K. Rajab8Rehema K. Rajab9Getrud J. Mollel10Getrud J. Mollel11Winifrida Mponzi12Honorati Masanja13Fredros O. Okumu14Fredros O. Okumu15Christin Lang16Markus Gerber17Jürg Utzinger18Jürg Utzinger19Kurt Z. Long20Kurt Z. Long21Efraim M. Kosia22Ester Elisaria23Ester Elisaria24Marceline F. Finda25Department of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaDepartment of Global Health and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaDepartment of Global Health and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, TanzaniaDepartment of Community Health and Nutrition, Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaDepartment of Global Health and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaDepartment of Pediatric and Child Nutrition, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaSchool of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United KingdomDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandDepartment of Global Health and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaDepartment of Global Health and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, TanzaniaDepartment of Environment Health and Ecological Science, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Morogoro, TanzaniaBackgroundPhysical activity is pivotal in promoting overall health and wellbeing, improving brain function and cognitive performance, and reducing risk of excessive weight and non-communicable diseases. Despite these benefits, physical inactivity among children and adolescents remains a global concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Only few studies have explored the association between physical activity, nutritional status, and cognitive performance in LMICs like Tanzania. This study assessed these associations among school children in a rural setting in southern Tanzania.MethodsPhysical activity was assessed using an actigraphy device that assessed 7-day average of physical activity among school children aged 6–13 years. Cognitive performance was assessed via the Flanker task, which assessed the executive domain of cognitive functions, specifically information processing and inhibitory control. Weight was determined using Tanita digital scale, and height was measured using measuring board. A multinomial logistic regression model and a gamma generalized linear model with a log link function were used to examine the association between physical activity, nutritional status, and cognitive performance.ResultsAmong 678 children who participated in the baseline assessment, 77.9% had normal weight, 14.3% were underweight, 5.5% were overweight, and 2.4% were obese. Most (92.6%) of the children engaged in at least 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as per WHO recommendations. Children who did not meet the recommended MVPA level were nearly three times more likely to be obese compared to those who did. No statistically significant associations were found between physical activity and cognitive performance, or between nutritional status and cognitive performance.ConclusionThis study highlights a high prevalence of normal weight and adherence to WHO-recommended MVPA levels among school children in southern Tanzania. However, children not meeting MVPA criteria were more likely to be obese, indicating the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy weight. The lack of association between physical activity or nutritional status and cognitive performance, indicates that there may be additional factors that influence cognitive outcomes. Further research is needed to explore these interactions, particularly in rural LMIC settings.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1552215/fullcognitive performancehealthnutritional statusphysical activityschool childrenTanzania |
| spellingShingle | Fahad S. Mwakalebela Fahad S. Mwakalebela Elihaika G. Minja Elihaika G. Minja Elihaika G. Minja Yohana A. Mwalugelo Erick Killel Erick Killel Rehema K. Rajab Rehema K. Rajab Getrud J. Mollel Getrud J. Mollel Winifrida Mponzi Honorati Masanja Fredros O. Okumu Fredros O. Okumu Christin Lang Markus Gerber Jürg Utzinger Jürg Utzinger Kurt Z. Long Kurt Z. Long Efraim M. Kosia Ester Elisaria Ester Elisaria Marceline F. Finda Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania Frontiers in Public Health cognitive performance health nutritional status physical activity school children Tanzania |
| title | Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania |
| title_full | Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania |
| title_fullStr | Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania |
| title_short | Association between physical activity, nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern Tanzania |
| title_sort | association between physical activity nutritional status and cognitive performance among school children in southern tanzania |
| topic | cognitive performance health nutritional status physical activity school children Tanzania |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1552215/full |
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