What does this research mean for the field?

Higher physical activity is associated with lower waist circumference and BMI-for-age z-scores, but not significantly associated with overweight/obesity status or mid-upper arm circumference, among in-school adolescents in Nigeria. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the association between physical activity levels and anthropometric measures among in-school adolescents in Nigeria.

August 22, 2026Discover Public HealthOpen Access

Association of physical activity with anthropometric measures among in-school adolescents in Nigeria

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To assess the association between physical activity levels and anthropometric measures among in-school adolescents in Nigeria.
Analyzed cross-sectional secondary data from 1,689 in-school adolescents (mean age 14.07 ± 1.93 years; 58.9% female) across three Nigerian sites (Abuja, Ikeja, and Ibadan) from the SURRENDER study.
Assessed self-reported physical activity using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) divided into tertiles (low, moderate, and high).
Evaluated BMI-for-age z-scores, overweight/obesity status, waist circumference (WC), and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) using adjusted multivariable logistic and linear regression models.
Odds of overweight/obesity were not statistically significantly reduced across physical activity tertiles compared to low activity (moderate PA OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.67–1.21; high PA OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.56–1.04; P for trend = 0.09).
Each one-unit increase in PAQ-A score was significantly associated with a 0.12 reduction in BMI-for-age z-score (β: -0.12, 95% CI: -0.24 to 0.00; P < 0.05) and a 3.02 cm reduction in waist circumference (β: -3.02, 95% CI: -4.72 to -1.31; P < 0.05).

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Implication

Cross-sectional study reveals higher physical activity lowers waist circumference in adolescents, highlighting early protective benefits against central adiposity.

Cite This Study

Owoseni et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a895f0dca7ade938187d684 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-026-02722-3

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Implication

Cross-sectional study reveals higher physical activity lowers waist circumference in adolescents, highlighting early protective benefits against central adiposity.

Association of physical activity with anthropometric measures among in-school adolescents in Nigeria

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Association of physical activity with anthropometric measures among in-school adolescents in Nigeria

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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