Are teenagers in Kenya physically active? The nexus between physical activity and nutrition status of Kenyan teenagers: A cross-sectional study

Insufficient physical activity and poor nutrition during teenagerhood increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. This study assessed physical activity levels and nutritional status of teenagers aged 13–19 years old in Machakos County, Kenya. A cross-sectional design was used to recruit 357 teenagers. Probability proportionate sampling and simple random methods were used to select households with teenagers. Socio-demographic data were collected by using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were taken by using a digital scale, height using a height board and waist circumference using a tape measure. The GPAQ-A was used to assess participants’ physical activity levels. The WHO AnthroPlus v1.0.4 software was used to analyze anthropometric data. Waist circumference was calculated using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) cut-off values. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to establish relationships between variables and control for potential confounding variables. Overall, 56.0% of teenagers were inactive, with females 56.5% reporting lower activity levels than males, 43.5% (p = 0.01). The overall prevalence of underweight and overweight based on BMI-for-age Z-scores was 8.1% and 9.2% respectively. Sex differences were noted; 10.1% of male teens were underweight, while 16.8% of female teens were overweight. Based on waist circumference, 3.4% of females were overweight, while no males were (p = 0.01). Being a male (Adjusted O.R. = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.18-0.99, p-value 0.04) and falling between ages 15–19 years old (Crude O.R. = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.13-0.62, p-value 0.00) were significantly associated with underweight. However, being female (Crude O.R. = 8.75, 95% CI: 3.06-25.43, p-value 0.00) and (Adjusted O.R. = 8.82, 95% CI: 2.98-25.94, p-value 0.00), teenager belonging to household with 3–6 members (Adjusted O.R. = 3.72, 95% CI: 2.95-14.63, p-value 0.04) and maternal education of secondary school (Crude O.R. = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.84, p-value 0.02) and (Adjusted O.R. = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-0.93, p-value 0.03) were significantly associated with overweight. A considerable number of Kenyan teenagers do not meet recommended physical activity levels, with implications for their nutritional status. Physical inactivity is clearly linked to poor nutritional outcomes.