Effects of school-based physical activity and multi-micronutrient supplementation intervention on growth, health and well-being of school children in three African countries

In low and middle income countries (LMICs), infectious disease remain a key public health problem, which negatively impacts on children’s physical and cognitive development. Diseases such as helminth infections can cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea and anaemia and may result in impaired cognitive and physical development. Moreover, helmith infectious can be a negative impact on children’s nutritional status. Additionally, new research has revealed increasing under nutrition as risk factors. Consequently, children are at increased risk of compromised health due to dual burden of disease, which may hamper their development and wellbeing.

This dual burden constitutes a challenge for health systems in African countries. Although children are mainly affected by infectious diseases, they may at young age already develop risk factors predisposing them to NCDs in early adulthood. Given this background, the goal of this study is to examine the prevalence of infectious diseases and risk factors for NCDs among school children in the Kilombero Valley of the south-eastern Tanzania. We will also test low-cost preventive programmes, which combine multi-micronutrient supplementation with physical activity to promote health and wellbeing among African school children.

There are four interrelated specific objectives: 

(1)To assess and compare infection with helmiths and intestinal protozoa, micronutrient deficiencies, and risk factors for NCDs (e.g physical inactivity) in schoolchildren in the Kilombero Valley. •

(2) To determine the association between physical activity, physical fitness, helminth and intestinal protozoa infection, micronutrient status, overweight/obesity, inflammatory markers, cognitive function, and health related quality of life in schoolchildren in Kilombero valley. •

(3) To examine the effects of school-based health intervention (physical activity, multinutrient supplementation, or both) on physical fitness, incidence of helminth and intestinal protozoa infection, micronutrient status, overweight/obesity inflammatory markers, cognitive function and health related quality of life in schoolchildren in the Kilombero Valley. •

(4) To compare fitness, risk factors of NCDs, and cognitive function data from children in South Africa, Cote d’Ivore and Switzerland.#