Case study from Africa: physical activity and safety from crime and traffic in Africa

Case study from Africa: physical activity and safety from crime and traffic in Africa

Although Africa is the most physically active region in the world, about 18% of men and 25% of women are not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity, shown to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Further, nearly 30% of the disease burden in Sub-Saharan Africa is attributable to NCDs. Therefore, identifying equitable access to safe and supportive environments for physical activity in African cities is an important research and policy priority for mitigating the worsening burden of NCDs in the region. In this chapter, we explore current knowledge on how safety from crime and traffic on the African continent is associated with habitual levels of physical activity. We note that the prevalence of physical activity and safety issues in Africa varies by country level of income. In addition, while the high prevalence of insecurity from crime and traffic is consistently related to insufficient physical activity among African adults, this relationship is less clear in children and adolescents. Next, we discuss the implications of these findings for practice and policy, and conclude by providing recommendations for future multisectoral interventions, targeting the upstream determinants from a regulatory and built environment perspective as effective practical solutions across the African continent.

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