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Adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in relation to body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa, Birth-to-Twenty+ Cohort

Adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in relation to body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa, Birth-to-Twenty+ Cohort
Adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in relation to body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa, Birth-to-Twenty+ Cohort
Background
Adolescence is marked by a decline in physical activity, rapid physical growth and changes in body composition, which have been linked to body composition. Prospective data on these associations are rare, particularly in Africa.

Aim
The aim of this study was to examine the association of longitudinal patterns across adolescent in physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep, with anthropometry and body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa.

Methods
We analyzed data from the Birth-to-Twenty Plus Cohort (Bt20+), a longitudinal study of children born in 1990 in Soweto-Johannesburg, South Africa. We used general linear models to investigate the association of adolescent (ages 12 to 18 years) longitudinal trends in physical activity, sedentary behavior and schoolnight sleep and overall physical activity patterns, with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass index (FMI), lean mass index (LMI) and percent body fat at age 18 years.

Results
The final study sample included 1337 participants with anthropometric measurements (52% female) and 958 participants with body composition measurements (53% female). Males who were consistently more active and consistently walked to school over adolescence had lower waist circumference (B = − 2.0, 95% CI: − 3.9 to − 0.2), FMI (B = − 0.8, 95%: CI: − 1.2 to − 0.1) and percent body fat (B = -2.9, 95% CI: − 4.9 to − 0.9) at age 18 years than those who decreased activity and did not walk to school. Consistently-sedentary females had higher waist circumference than those whose sedentary behavior increased over adolescence (B = 5.4, 95% CI: 0.2 to 10.6). Males who reported sleeping 9 h or more per night on schoolnights had significantly lower BMI (B = -1.0, 95% CI: − 1.4 to- 0.5), and percent body fat (B = -1.5, 95%CI − 2.8 to − 0.1) than those who reported sleeping 8 h or less per night.

Conclusion
Patterns of adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep are related to young-adult body composition in urban South Africa. These modifiable behaviors may be paths for public health interventions to curb overweight and obesity in many low- or middle-income countries.
1471-2431
Micklesfield, L.K.
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Hanson, S.K.
873a7168-6585-4c3d-8ed5-62ef11489c13
Lobelo, F.
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Cunningham, S.A.
efb996bb-ad4c-4986-97f2-ab79cf440589
Hartman, T.J.
d3c5cc35-ef88-49f7-8180-73f1b6f77a40
Norris, S.A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
Stein, A.D.
5ee08d0c-2313-4d74-bfcf-49e9bfabc36d
Micklesfield, L.K.
e73dd95b-ce79-4dc4-b0be-a8935eb069c8
Hanson, S.K.
873a7168-6585-4c3d-8ed5-62ef11489c13
Lobelo, F.
20b842b4-4c57-42ed-b0d8-f1e1ba657570
Cunningham, S.A.
efb996bb-ad4c-4986-97f2-ab79cf440589
Hartman, T.J.
d3c5cc35-ef88-49f7-8180-73f1b6f77a40
Norris, S.A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
Stein, A.D.
5ee08d0c-2313-4d74-bfcf-49e9bfabc36d

Micklesfield, L.K., Hanson, S.K., Lobelo, F., Cunningham, S.A., Hartman, T.J., Norris, S.A. and Stein, A.D. (2021) Adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in relation to body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa, Birth-to-Twenty+ Cohort. BMC Pediatrics, 21, [30]. (doi:10.1186/s12887-020-02451-9).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background
Adolescence is marked by a decline in physical activity, rapid physical growth and changes in body composition, which have been linked to body composition. Prospective data on these associations are rare, particularly in Africa.

Aim
The aim of this study was to examine the association of longitudinal patterns across adolescent in physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep, with anthropometry and body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa.

Methods
We analyzed data from the Birth-to-Twenty Plus Cohort (Bt20+), a longitudinal study of children born in 1990 in Soweto-Johannesburg, South Africa. We used general linear models to investigate the association of adolescent (ages 12 to 18 years) longitudinal trends in physical activity, sedentary behavior and schoolnight sleep and overall physical activity patterns, with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass index (FMI), lean mass index (LMI) and percent body fat at age 18 years.

Results
The final study sample included 1337 participants with anthropometric measurements (52% female) and 958 participants with body composition measurements (53% female). Males who were consistently more active and consistently walked to school over adolescence had lower waist circumference (B = − 2.0, 95% CI: − 3.9 to − 0.2), FMI (B = − 0.8, 95%: CI: − 1.2 to − 0.1) and percent body fat (B = -2.9, 95% CI: − 4.9 to − 0.9) at age 18 years than those who decreased activity and did not walk to school. Consistently-sedentary females had higher waist circumference than those whose sedentary behavior increased over adolescence (B = 5.4, 95% CI: 0.2 to 10.6). Males who reported sleeping 9 h or more per night on schoolnights had significantly lower BMI (B = -1.0, 95% CI: − 1.4 to- 0.5), and percent body fat (B = -1.5, 95%CI − 2.8 to − 0.1) than those who reported sleeping 8 h or less per night.

Conclusion
Patterns of adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep are related to young-adult body composition in urban South Africa. These modifiable behaviors may be paths for public health interventions to curb overweight and obesity in many low- or middle-income countries.

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Accepted/In Press date: 1 December 2020
Published date: 11 January 2021

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 504215
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/504215
ISSN: 1471-2431
PURE UUID: 98b53d55-997d-42c8-acf6-b2a69f6e21d9
ORCID for S.A. Norris: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7124-3788

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Date deposited: 29 Aug 2025 17:01
Last modified: 30 Aug 2025 02:02

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Contributors

Author: L.K. Micklesfield
Author: S.K. Hanson
Author: F. Lobelo
Author: S.A. Cunningham
Author: T.J. Hartman
Author: S.A. Norris ORCID iD
Author: A.D. Stein

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