4 research outputs found
Revisiting the importance of childhood activity
Formalised exercise programmes for children and adolescents are becoming increasingly important. There has been a drastic
increase in documented childhood morbidity and mortality relating to poor nutrition and low activity levels in recent years.
Regular physical activity decreases the risk of chronic disease and is also a fundamental component in the management
of illnesses. Recommendations for the paediatric population remain insufficient and ill-defined. This article revisits the
risks of physical inactivity in childhood and provides the latest recommendations for exercise prescription in the paediatric
population. Inactive children have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood
cholesterol and hypertension. Other undesirable consequences include orthopaedic problems, cardiovascular disease and
various psychological complications. Both aerobic and resistance training should be incorporated into paediatric exercise
programmes. The recommended guidelines for childhood activity are 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day
of the week. This article highlights the importance of formalised paediatric exercise programmes in disease prevention and
health promotion. A healthy and happy adolescent population ultimately contributes to an adult population with a low risk
of ill health.http://www.safpj.co.zaam201
Acute corticosteroid-induced rhabdomyolysis in a golf player
Acute corticosteroid-induced rhabdomyolysis is a rare, but potentially life-threatening, condition that deserves the attention of medical
professionals and sport scientists. Early diagnosis is vital in minimising the secondary damage caused by rhabdomyolysis. This case of
rhabdomyolysis highlights the severity of symptoms and the importance of decisive treatment. Clinicians should be familiar with the
most common symptoms of acute corticosteroid-induced rhabdomyolysis to enable early diagnosis and efficient management of this
condition.http://www.journals.co.za/sama/m_sajsm.htmlam2013ay201
The correlation between the health-related fitness of healthy participants measured at home as opposed to fitness measured by sport scientists in a laboratory
BACKGROUND : Fitness is defined in the health context as a state of good health or physical condition, primarily as a result of
exercise and proper nutrition. Conventional methods of measuring fitness are expensive, time consuming and require specialised
methods. There is a need for noninvasive, fast methods of assessing health-related fitness and activity in athlete and non-athlete
populations. The aim of this study was to establish any correlation between participantsā self-assessed health-related fitness (HRF)
index and the HRF index determined by sports scientists, as well as the laboratory-assessed HRF index and maximum oxygen
uptake (VO2max) determined by sports scientists via direct methods in a laboratory, and finally, to determine any potential
correlation between an activity-recall questionnaire (Kasari) and VO2max.
METHOD : The participants consisted of 169 male and female volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 years, taking neither
supplements nor medication. The University of Pretoriaās HRF index protocol was first carried out by participants on their own
at home, and then in the laboratory under the supervision of sport scientists. The complete datasets of 150 participants were
statistically analysed to establish correlations.
RESULTS : The results indicated highly significant and substantial correlations (Ļ = 0.696, p < 0.001) between the participantsā
self-assessed HRF index and measurements by the sports scientists. There were moderate correlations between the laboratoryassessed
HRF index and the direct VO2max (Ļ = 0 512, p < 0.005), as well as the indirect VO2max (Ļ = 0.588; p < 0.001). A
significant correlation was found between the self-assessed HRF index and the indirect VO2max (Ļ = 0.454; p < 0.001). The
Kasari questionnaire correlated only weakly with the indirect VO2max (Ļ = 0.278, p < 0.002) and not at all with the direct VO2max
(Ļ = 0.072, p = 0.731).
CONCLUSION : Indications are that this test protocol may be conducted at home by individuals, without supervision, to determine
exercise ability or fitness, or to monitor changes in physical fitness, thereby limiting expenses and costs.Momentum Interactivehttp://www.safpj.co.za/index.php/safpjhb201
When less is more : heterogeneity in grass patch height supports herbivores in counter-intuitive ways
Herbivores are an integral part of the African landscape and have evolved with the vegetation to create the savanna landscape. Managers of these landscapes can benefit from a better understanding of how indigenous herbivores use the landscape to which they are adapted. In this study we observed which patches were frequently utilised, by doing regular monthly road counts, grass height observations and dung counts on selected short grass patches in the Kruger National Park. Smaller-framed impala and blue wildebeest (meso-herbivores) were most regularly seen on these nutritious patches, while from dung deposits it was clear that the even larger-framed buffalo (mega-herbivores) spent time there. This preference can be explained by considering the nutritional needs and food intake of the herbivores. Smaller-framed herbivores seem to be able to satisfy their dietary requirements on the high-quality forage patches, while larger-framed herbivores seem to supplement the quality forage by also spending foraging time on areas of higher grass biomass. From this insight we propose that range management should take herbivore preferences into account and allow herbivores to select and concentrate their foraging on the most nutritious forage. This approach is likely to decrease inputs while allowing animals to maintain or increase production.South African National Parks and the Agricultural Research Council.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tarf202020-03-14hj2020Animal and Wildlife Science