RP-Department of Recreation Management & Exercise Science

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Browsing RP-Department of Recreation Management & Exercise Science by Author "Adamo, K. B."

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    Child obesity and fitness levels among Kenyan and Canadian children from urban and rural environments: a KIDS-CAN Research Alliance Study.
    (EBSCO, 2011-06) Adamo, K. B.; Sheel, A. W.; Onywera, V.O.; Waudo, Judith N.; Boit, Michael K.; Tremblay, M. S.
    Objective. This study was designed to gather anthropometric and fitness-related data on Kenyan children living in urban (UKEN) and rural (RKEN) environments and to compare them with previous data collected on Canadian children in order to examine the potential nutrition-physical activity transition. Methods. Height, weight, waist circumference, triceps skinfolds were directly measured on rural (RKEN) and urban Kenyan (UKEN) children (n = 179, 9–13 years) and compared with existing data from Canadian children living in urban and rural environments (n = 274, 9–13 years). Aerobic fitness was measured using the 20 m shuttle run, flexibility using the sit-and-reach test and isometric handgrip strength was assessed. Results. None of the RKEN children were overweight or obese (OWO). However, 6.8% of UKEN boys and 16.7% of girls were OWO. The RKEN children had lower BMI, waist circumference, and triceps skinfolds than all other groups (UKEN, and Canadian: p < 0.05). UKEN children were leaner than Canadian children (p < 0.05). Male and female RKEN children had higher running speeds, and aerobic fitness than UKEN children (p < 0.001). Isometric strength was not different between Kenyan groups and was not different from urban living Canadian children. UKEN children were the least flexible group, and girls were more flexible than boys in all groups. Conclusions. Urban Kenyan children appear to be showing signs of the nutrition-physical activity transition, as judged by the anthropometric similarities to contemporary living Canadian children. Further support is provided by examining the difference in prevalence of overweight/obesity among UKEN compared with their RKEN counterparts and their lower aerobic fitness level. Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/17477166.2010.543683
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    A diposity and physical activity among children in countries at different stages of the physical activity transition: Canada, Mexico and Kenya
    (African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance (AJPHERD), 2013-03) Onywera, V.O.; Héroux, M.; Ulloa, E. J.; Adamo, K. B.; Taylor, J. L.; Janssen, I.; Tremblay, M. S.
    Physical inactivity is a risk factor for childhood overweight and obesity, and is associated with habitual lifestyle behaviours that are in rapid transition in many countries. Data comparing the weight status and physical activity among children in countries at different stages of the physical activity transition are lacking. The objective of this study was to compare the weight status and physical activity levels among children in Canada, Mexico and Kenya as a model to assess the physical activity transition. School children (aged 9-13 years) from Canada (n=736), Mexico (n=193) and Kenya (n=179) participated in this study. Body mass index (BMI) was used to determine weight status (underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity). Activity monitors were used to measure daily step counts. Findings showed that 25.6% of Canadian children were overweight or obese, compared to 35.7% and 5.6% of Mexican and Kenyan children, respectively. Results indicated that 41.2% of the Kenyan children were underweight compared to 10.9% and 6.4% of Mexican and Canadian children, respectively. Mexican and Kenyan children were more physically active than Canadian children, accumulating an average of 15,757±5565, 15,605±5963 and 10,730±3969 steps per day, respectively. This inter-country comparison shows that childhood overweight and obesity levels are lowest and physical activity levels are high in Kenya, a country at an early stage of the physical activity transition. Further research using more representative samples is recommended. Keywords: Body composition, physical activity, children, transition.
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    The Relation between Aerobic Fitness, Muscular Fitness, and Obesity in Children from Three Countries at Different Stages of the Physical Activity Transition
    (Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2013) Héroux, M.; Onywera, V.O.; Tremblay, M. S.; Adamo, K. B.; Taylor, J. L.; Ulloa, E. J.; Janssen, I.
    The physical activity transition is contributing to an increase in childhood obesity and a decrease in fitness worldwide.This study compared body composition and fitness measures in children from three countries and examined intercountrydifferences in the relationship between these variables. Methods. Participants consisted of 736 Canadian, 193 Mexican, and 179 Kenyan children aged 9–13 years. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triceps skinfolds, aerobic fitness, and muscularfitness were measured. Linear regression was used to examine associations between variables. Results. The prevalence of obesitywas the highest in Mexican children (9.2% boys, 8.4% girls) and the lowest in Kenyan children (0.9% boys, 2.8% girls). Aerobic fitness (VO2 max in mL/kg/min) was the highest in Kenyan children (50.2 boys, 46.7 girls) and the lowest in Canadian children (41.3 boys, 38.3 girls). Aerobic fitness was negatively associated with body composition measures irrespective of country and sex.Mexican children with low aerobic fitness had higher body composition measures than Canadian and Kenyan children. Muscularfitness was not associated with the body composition measures in Kenyan children but was a weak positive correlate of BMI andwaist circumference in Canadian and Mexican children. Conclusion. The current study provides some evidence to support thephysical activity transition hypothesis.