International Journal of Health Research and Innovation

Effects of Body Mass Index and Drunkenness on Physical Activity Levels of Adolescents in Ghana

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• Abstract

  The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of Body Mass Index (BMI) and drunkenness on the physical activity levels of junior high (JHS) and senior high (SHS) school students in Ghana. The 2012 Ghana Global School-Based Student Health Survey served as the main data source. Participants included 2790 Ghanaian junior high and senior high school students aged 11-18. They were 1508 boys and 1282 girls. The study investigated the extent to which participants were physically active (PA) seven days per week and also attended physical education (PE) classes five days or more per week (PAPE). The predictor variables were age, gender, level of education, BMI, number of times being drunk (NBD), and number of times in trouble due to drunkenness (TTD). Results showed that 72.69% of participants engaged in PA seven days per week and attended PE classes five days or more per week. Logistic regression analyses indicated that age, gender, BMI, NBD, and TTD were significant predictors of PAPE, while the level of education was not. Older participants were more likely to attain PAPE than their younger counterparts; and girls were more likely than boys to achieve PAPE. Those with higher BMI were less likely to achieve PAPE. The likelihood of achieving PAPE decreased with increase in NBD. In addition, the likelihood of achieving PAPE decreased with an increase in TTD. JHS and SHS students were equally likely to achieve PAPE. PA intervention programs should be multi-faceted and should target children in their pre-teens.