Physical activity level and cardiovascular risk factors: case study of high school teachers within Makhado Municipality

Abstract

Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are particular habits, behaviours, circumstances that increase a person's risk for developing CVD. The study aimed to determine physical activity level and cardiovascular risk factors among high school teachers within Makhado Municipality. A Predictive correlational design was used in this study. The total population sampling procedure was used. Questionnaire and anthropometric instruments were used to collect data. The SPSS was used to analyze data. Descriptive statistics were used to describe variables in this study: logistic regression was used to establish demographic characteristics of teachers to predict physical activity level and cardiovascular risk factors, and the relationship between physical activity level and cardiovascular risk factors was determined by correlation coefficient. Results: a total of 278 participants were selected. Most teachers were not active; only 11.2% had high physical activity levels. Gender was the most predictor for physical activity level males were more active than females, while age and gender was the predictor for basal metabolic rate. Age was a predictor for both BMI and waist circumference, and gender was a predictor for PAL and BMR. There was a positive association between WC and body mass index, between starch intake and salt intake, another association was between HBP and WC, lastly between salt and fruits intake. Recommendations: Department of Education organize wellness day/sports for teachers where health practitioners like dietician and biokineticist can educate them about dietary patterns and benefits of exercises and how lifestyles choices impact the risk of developing CVD.