title: Nutritional status and its association with physical fitness, physical activity and parasitological indicators in youths from rural Mozambique.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little information exists about the relationship of nutritional status and motor performance conditional on asymptomatic parasitemia in rural African children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to (1) determine if malnourished youths from rural African areas have lower levels of physical fitness (PF) and physical activity (PA) compared to normal weight youths, (2) verify the biological relevance of anthropometric criteria used to classify nutritional status in youth, and (3) determine the prevalence of parasitological indicators, and its association with nutritional status and PF.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 794 youths (6-17 years) from Calanga, a rural community in Mozambique. PF tests were selected from standardized test batteries, and PA was estimated by accelerometry. Nutritional status was defined according to WHO recommendations for stunting, wasting and normal weight. Parasitological indicators were determined based on stool specimens' analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general terms the normal group out-performed the other nutritional groups (stunted and wasted) for PF. However, no significant differences were found for PA among nutritional groups. There were also no significant differences in prevalence of intestinal parasites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutritional status was not associated with PA levels or the prevalence of parasitological indicators in youth, but was related to physical performance.
authors: Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Pedagogical University of Maputo, Maputo, Mozambique.
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Nhantumbo
authors: José António
authors: JA
authors: Ribeiro Maia
authors: Fernanda Karina
authors: FK
authors: dos Santos
authors: Ilesh V
authors: IV
authors: Jani
authors: Eduardo Samo
authors: ES
authors: Gudo
authors: Peter T
authors: PT
authors: Katzmarzyk
authors: António
authors: A
authors: Prista
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*