Abstract
Establishing profiles of physical activity (PA) is critical in tackling the chronic diseases associated with lack of PA and avoiding healthcare costs. This study investigated PA levels in urban-based South African (SA) primary school learners.Seven thousand, three hundred and forty-eight learners (3 867 males and 3 481 females) aged 8 - 14 years completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. Learners were multiracial, including white (49%), black (39%) and other ethnic groups (12%). Differences in PA levels by ethnic origin and province were determined using an analysis of covariance after adjusting for gender (p<0.05). Bonferroni corrections controlled for multiple comparisons. A fitted regression model examined age-related differences in PA adjusting for province. Of SA learners aged 8 - 14 years, 57% (n=4 224) engaged in moderatelevels of PA. Thirty-one percent (n=2 247) did not meet international recommended amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Overall, males reported higher PA levels than females (p<0.0001). PA levels declined with age from 11 to 14 years by 14% and 20% in males and females, respectively
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