Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa.
<h4>Background/aim</h4>School-aged children in low- and middle-income countries carry the highest burden of intestinal helminth infections, such as soil-transmitted helminths (STH). STH infections have been associated with negative consequences for child physical and cognitive developmen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011664&type=printable |
| _version_ | 1797640173029163008 |
|---|---|
| author | Siphesihle Nqweniso Cheryl Walter Rosa du Randt Larissa Adams Johanna Beckmann Jean T Coulibaly Danielle Dolley Nandi Joubert Kurt Z Long Ivan Müller Madeleine Nienaber Uwe Pühse Harald Seelig Peter Steinmann Jürg Utzinger Markus Gerber Christin Lang |
| author_facet | Siphesihle Nqweniso Cheryl Walter Rosa du Randt Larissa Adams Johanna Beckmann Jean T Coulibaly Danielle Dolley Nandi Joubert Kurt Z Long Ivan Müller Madeleine Nienaber Uwe Pühse Harald Seelig Peter Steinmann Jürg Utzinger Markus Gerber Christin Lang |
| author_sort | Siphesihle Nqweniso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background/aim</h4>School-aged children in low- and middle-income countries carry the highest burden of intestinal helminth infections, such as soil-transmitted helminths (STH). STH infections have been associated with negative consequences for child physical and cognitive development and wellbeing. With the epidemiological transition and rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD), studies have shown that helminth infections may influence glucose metabolism by preventing obesity. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the association of STH infections in schoolchildren from Gqeberha, focusing on physical activity, physical fitness, and clustered CVD risk score.<h4>Methods</h4>This cross-sectional study involved 680 schoolchildren (356 girls and 324 boys; mean age 8.19 years, SD±1.4) from disadvantaged communities in Gqeberha (formerly, Port Elizabeth), South Africa. Stool samples were collected and examined for STH infections using the Kato-Katz method. Physical activity (accelerometer) and physical fitness (grip strength, 20 m shuttle run) were measured using standard procedures. Furthermore, anthropometry, blood pressure, as well as glycated haemoglobin and lipid profile from capillary blood samples were assessed. We employed one-way ANOVAs to identify the associations of STH infections in terms of species and infection intensity with physical activity, physical fitness, and clustered CVD risk score.<h4>Results</h4>We found a low STH infection prevalence (7.2%) in our study, with participants infected with at least one intestinal helminth species. In comparison to their non-infected peers, children infected with STH had lower mean grip strength scores, but higher mean VO2max estimation and higher levels of MVPA (p < .001). When considering type and intensity of infection, a positive association of A. lumbricoides infection and MVPA was found. In contrast, light T. trichiura-infected children had significantly lower grip strength scores compared to non and heavily-infected children. VO2max and MVPA were positively associated with light T. trichiura infection. No significant association between the clustered CVD risk score and infection with any STH species was evident.<h4>Conclusions</h4>STH-infected children had lower grip strength scores than their non-infected peers, yet, achieved higher VO2max and MVPA scores. Our study highlights that the type and intensity of STH infection is relevant in understanding the disease burden of STH infections on children's health. The findings of our study must be interpreted cautiously due to the low infection rate, and more research is needed in samples with higher prevalence rates or case-control designs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:28:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0daf3eb6f765433b9fd566eb932cdf79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:28:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-0daf3eb6f765433b9fd566eb932cdf792023-11-03T05:35:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352023-10-011710e001166410.1371/journal.pntd.0011664Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa.Siphesihle NqwenisoCheryl WalterRosa du RandtLarissa AdamsJohanna BeckmannJean T CoulibalyDanielle DolleyNandi JoubertKurt Z LongIvan MüllerMadeleine NienaberUwe PühseHarald SeeligPeter SteinmannJürg UtzingerMarkus GerberChristin Lang<h4>Background/aim</h4>School-aged children in low- and middle-income countries carry the highest burden of intestinal helminth infections, such as soil-transmitted helminths (STH). STH infections have been associated with negative consequences for child physical and cognitive development and wellbeing. With the epidemiological transition and rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD), studies have shown that helminth infections may influence glucose metabolism by preventing obesity. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the association of STH infections in schoolchildren from Gqeberha, focusing on physical activity, physical fitness, and clustered CVD risk score.<h4>Methods</h4>This cross-sectional study involved 680 schoolchildren (356 girls and 324 boys; mean age 8.19 years, SD±1.4) from disadvantaged communities in Gqeberha (formerly, Port Elizabeth), South Africa. Stool samples were collected and examined for STH infections using the Kato-Katz method. Physical activity (accelerometer) and physical fitness (grip strength, 20 m shuttle run) were measured using standard procedures. Furthermore, anthropometry, blood pressure, as well as glycated haemoglobin and lipid profile from capillary blood samples were assessed. We employed one-way ANOVAs to identify the associations of STH infections in terms of species and infection intensity with physical activity, physical fitness, and clustered CVD risk score.<h4>Results</h4>We found a low STH infection prevalence (7.2%) in our study, with participants infected with at least one intestinal helminth species. In comparison to their non-infected peers, children infected with STH had lower mean grip strength scores, but higher mean VO2max estimation and higher levels of MVPA (p < .001). When considering type and intensity of infection, a positive association of A. lumbricoides infection and MVPA was found. In contrast, light T. trichiura-infected children had significantly lower grip strength scores compared to non and heavily-infected children. VO2max and MVPA were positively associated with light T. trichiura infection. No significant association between the clustered CVD risk score and infection with any STH species was evident.<h4>Conclusions</h4>STH-infected children had lower grip strength scores than their non-infected peers, yet, achieved higher VO2max and MVPA scores. Our study highlights that the type and intensity of STH infection is relevant in understanding the disease burden of STH infections on children's health. The findings of our study must be interpreted cautiously due to the low infection rate, and more research is needed in samples with higher prevalence rates or case-control designs.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011664&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Siphesihle Nqweniso Cheryl Walter Rosa du Randt Larissa Adams Johanna Beckmann Jean T Coulibaly Danielle Dolley Nandi Joubert Kurt Z Long Ivan Müller Madeleine Nienaber Uwe Pühse Harald Seelig Peter Steinmann Jürg Utzinger Markus Gerber Christin Lang Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa. |
| title_full | Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa. |
| title_fullStr | Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa. |
| title_short | Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa. |
| title_sort | associations between soil transmitted helminth infections and physical activity physical fitness and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from gqeberha south africa |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011664&type=printable |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT siphesihlenqweniso associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT cherylwalter associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT rosadurandt associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT larissaadams associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT johannabeckmann associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT jeantcoulibaly associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT danielledolley associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT nandijoubert associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT kurtzlong associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT ivanmuller associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT madeleinenienaber associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT uwepuhse associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT haraldseelig associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT petersteinmann associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT jurgutzinger associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT markusgerber associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica AT christinlang associationsbetweensoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsandphysicalactivityphysicalfitnessandcardiovasculardiseaseriskinprimaryschoolchildrenfromgqeberhasouthafrica |