Developing frameworks to measure physical activity in free-living populations in sub-Saharan Africa
type: CreativeWork
description: Background and objectives: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has an increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Comprehensive and context-specific evidence on the major modifiable risk factors for NCDs, such as physical activity, is required to help inform strategies to address this burden. Accurate measurement of physical activity and other health indicators will be important to achieving these objectives. This thesis aims to contribute to the current understanding of physical activity in SSA, and the development of frameworks to objectively assess health indicators, including physical activity, in free-living populations. Methods: Using existing large-scale population data from SSA (N=29606), I examined the prevalence and determinants of physical activity. The association between physical activity and key intermediate risk factors for NCDs was also assessed. Furthermore, I conducted a feasibility study (N=32) to assess the usability and validity of two commercial wrist-worn heart rate monitors as potential tools in the measurement of physical activity and related dimensions in free-living populations. Results: Across these diverse sub-Saharan African populations, there was substantial variation in the prevalence of NCD risk factors, including insufficient physical activity. Women, older individuals, those with higher levels of education, overweight and obese individuals, the unemployed, and urban residents were more likely to be insufficiently active. Furthermore, there was strong evidence of sociodemographic differences in the domains within which physical activity is undertaken, with potential inequities observed for participation in leisure-time physical activity. A weak but statistically significant association was observed between physical activity and BMI, and physical activity and diastolic blood pressure. Finally, the commercial wrist-worn heart rate monitors examined demonstrated acceptable coverage, with minimal data loss over the study period, and comp…
abstract: Background and objectives: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has an increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Comprehensive and context-specific evidence on the major modifiable risk factors for NCDs, such as physical activity, is required to help inform strategies to address this burden. Accurate measurement of physical activity and other health indicators will be important to achieving these objectives. This thesis aims to contribute to the current understanding of physical activity in SSA, and the development of frameworks to objectively assess health indicators, including physical activity, in free-living populations. Methods: Using existing large-scale population data from SSA (N=29606), I examined the prevalence and determinants of physical activity. The association between physical activity and key intermediate risk factors for NCDs was also assessed. Furthermore, I conducted a feasibility study (N=32) to assess the usability and validity of two commercial wrist-worn heart rate monitors as potential tools in the measurement of physical activity and related dimensions in free-living populations. Results: Across these diverse sub-Saharan African populations, there was substantial variation in the prevalence of NCD risk factors, including insufficient physical activity. Women, older individuals, those with higher levels of education, overweight and obese individuals, the unemployed, and urban residents were more likely to be insufficiently active. Furthermore, there was strong evidence of sociodemographic differences in the domains within which physical activity is undertaken, with potential inequities observed for participation in leisure-time physical activity. A weak but statistically significant association was observed between physical activity and BMI, and physical activity and diastolic blood pressure. Finally, the commercial wrist-worn heart rate monitors examined demonstrated acceptable coverage, with minimal data loss over the study period, and comp…
author: Barr, Anna
language: eng
keywords: physical activity, Africa, Meta-analysis, Objective measurement, WHO STEPS
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/1bf80ce9-8e0b-43b2-9ffc-c6e35e9baab6/download
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date published: 2020-06-30
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:00Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.56316