Physical activity, lifestyle habits and general health status of recreational sport participating and non-recreational sport participating males in Kimberley, Northern Cape
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Date
2020-01
Authors
Johnson, Shabnam
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Introduction: An individual’s health is based on his or her mental and physical well-being (WHO, 2020a), while general health status may refer to the level of health of an individual as well as the level of health of the general population or an individual (Durstine & Moore, 2003). In line with this, the United Nations (UN) has set 17 sustainable developmental goals for the year 2030 (UN, 2015), which are aimed at encouraging and informing relevant health professionals on how to improve the general health status of the global community (UN, 2015). Goal 3 is specifically aimed at ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all people of all ages, with the main objective being to reduce premature death resulting from non-communicable diseases (i.e. chronic lifestyle diseases (CLD)) (UN, 2015). Good lifestyle habits such as regular physical activity are associated with an improved life expectancy and an improved general health status (Kaptoge et al., 2018). The concept “lifestyle” refers to the way in which an individual lives and copes in his/her physical, psychological, social and economic environments on a day-to-day basis (Trovato, 2012). A healthy lifestyle improves the general health status of an individual by lowering the risk of developing CLD, being or becoming seriously ill or even early mortality (Takashi et al., 2013). Positive lifestyle habits such as regularly eating, and participating in physical activity can improve general health status whereas lifestyle habits such as excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and unhealthy eating are adverse lifestyle habits and can predispose the individual to CLD and poor general health (Borgan et al., 2015). Physical activity is one of the most important contributors to a good general health status. Physical activity is crucial in improving muscular strength and improving aerobic capacity (Garber et al., 2011). There is a decrease in sport participation after leaving school (Bloemhoff, 2010) which is where physical activity guidelines could become even more helpful. According to the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) recommendations for physical activity, a minimum of 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises or 75–150 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercises per week is advised in order to achieve health benefits (Riebe et al., 2018). The more time spent participating in physical activity, the better the health benefits which are achieved. However, Kyu et al. (2016) warn that exceeding the optimal physical activity levels and intensity may cause detrimental effects on the body. In particular, with regard to physical activity prescription, leisure-time physical activity is the most neglected area of physical activity. Recreational sport (as a form of leasuretime physical activity) can lead to increased opportunities to improve health by increasing aerobic capacity and strengthening muscles. It also provides social support and motivation while participating in physical activity which additionally allows for an improved mental state (Moore et al., 2012). Participation in recreational sports creates a sense of belonging, and provides positive and motivating social interaction (Eime et al., 2015). Chen et al. (2017) agreed that recreational sport has physiological and psychological benefits, but found the promotion of recreational sport by health professionals, such as physiotherapists, to be lacking. Recreational cricket is the most structured amateur sport in Kimberley making the inclusion of these players into a research study convenient. Cricket, as a professional or recreational sport, is a technical game and a test of endurance – mentally and physically (Webster, 2017). Physically, cricket improves stamina, endurance (aerobic fitness) and hand-eye coordination as well as perceptual skills. According to Ainsworth et al. (2011), the MET value of cricket was updated to 4.8 METS in 2011 after the previous two versions of the Compendium of Physical Activities listed the MET value as five. Mentally, cricket requires toughness and perseverance as individuals have to endure harsh conditions for long periods at a time, constantly and consistently thinking on their feet to plan and strategies (Filbay et al., 2017). Physiotherapists play an important role in the screening of patients and the prevention of complications from disease by means of health promotion. They also have the knowledge to prescribe exercises and incorporate everyday activities into a treatment programme considering current chronic diseases (O’Donoghue et al., 2012), such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, increased cholesterol levels and obesity (UN, 2015). Physiotherapists are thus in an ideal position to promote healthy lifestyle habits such as physical activity and, in particular, promote recreational physical activity (Lowe et al., 2016) whilst improving the general health status of individuals and communities (Holm et al., 2015) and supporting the global drive towards better health for all. Aim The primary aim of this research study was to investigate the physical activity levels, lifestyle habits and general health status of recreational sport participating and nonrecreational sport participating adult males in Kimberley, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Methods: A quantitative research design was used in this case-control study to compare the general health status, lifestyle habits and physical activity levels of recreational sport participating and non-recreational sport participating participants. Participants willing to partake in this study provided written consent before their participation. Data was collected using four self-administered questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire (compiled by the researcher), and three standardised questionnaires, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Belloc and Breslow seven lifestyle habits questionnaire and the SF-36v2 health survey. Results and discussion: A total of 102 participants were included in this study with 51 participants in the recreational sport participating group and 51 in the non-recreational sport participating group. The recreational sport participating group had an overall higher level of physical activity per week compared with the non-recreational sport participating group. These results are in agreement with literature that found that recreational sport participation was a way of increasing physical activity levels and MET-minutes per week and limiting sedentary behaviour which is often associated with sedentary occupational duties (Owen et al., 2010). The majority of participants in both the recreational sport participating and nonrecreational sport participating group presented with moderately healthy lifestyle habits. Recreational sport participation is found to be associated with healthy lifestyle habits (Eime et al., 2015), however, in this research study the same level of lifestyle habits were found in the sport participating and non-recreational sport participating groups. Both groups had a similar number of participants who smoked, but more participants in the non-recreational sport participating group consumed alcohol. This could be as a result of the social or environmental influences as well as the socioeconomic environment (Keates et al., 2017), such as the occupational environment. The self-perceived general health status of both groups were comparable whereas the recreational sport participating group presented with slightly more participants with an improved mental health status. This could be attributed to the evidence that cricket, in particular, requires and improves mental concentration more than other sport types (Webster & Travill, 2018). However, participating in any recreational sport increases the overall level of physical activity of an individual which is associated with an improved mental and physical health status (Eime et al., 2015). Whilst this improved mental and physical functioning in return leads to an improved general health status of the individual (Eime et al., 2015). Conclusion: Participating in recreational sporting activities can increase the level of physical activity in an individual and promote the benefits associated with higher physical activity levels. It is, however, also important to include healthy lifestyle habits in general to optimise these health benefits and improve the general health status of an individual. Physiotherapists can play an important role in elevating physical activity levels and promote healthy lifestyle choices by education and referral to other members of the interprofessional team. Based on physiotherapists’ knowledge of exercise prescription and general health status, recreational sport should be promoted by physiotherapists to improve physical activity levels and general health status of individuals, and more importantly on community level to reach a larger portion of the population. Participation in recreational sport provides mental and physical health benefits, and could play an important role in health promotion and long term disease prevention, as expected through the UN’s sustainable development goals. This study provides important baseline information on physical activity levels, lifestyle habits and general health status of the 25-35-year-old male population in Kimberley, Northern Cape (by including both recreational sport participating and non-recreational sport participating individuals). This baseline information can now be utilised to inform, especially community interventions by physiotherapists, to support the UN’s drive towards ensuring “healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”.
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Dissertation (M.Sc. Physiotherapy))--University of the Free State, 2020, Mental health, Physical activity, Lifestyle habits, Recreational sport