ArticlePLOS global public health2026
Demographic and socio-economic predictors of physical activity among young adults in Lephalale, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Article in PLOS global public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Physical inactivity among young adults is an emerging public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. In South Africa, where the burden of non-communicable diseases is high, little research has examined the socio-demographic determinants of physical activity among rural youth populations. This study investigated the demographic and socio-economic predictors of meeting recommended physical activity levels among young adults aged 18-29 years in Lephalale. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from a community-based survey of 762 participants. Socio-demographic variables included age, sex, education level, income, and employment status, and physical activity was assessed using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with meeting the recommended threshold of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. A total of 762 young adults aged 18-29 years were included, with 56% females and nearly half (47%) aged 20-24 years. Overall, 12% reported daily physical activity, 33% were active weekly, and 45% were insufficiently active. In univariate analyses, older age (25-29 years: OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.25-2.18), high income (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.02-1.78), tertiary education (OR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.18-1.78), and full-time employment (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.45-2.35) were significantly associated with meeting activity guidelines. In the adjusted model, only tertiary education (AOR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.00-1.70; p = 0.04) and full-time employment (AOR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.10-2.05; p = 0.04) remained independent predictors. Sex, age, and income were not significantly associated after adjustment. These findings highlight the importance of education and employment in shaping physical activity behaviours among rural young adults. Public health strategies should prioritise interventions that improve socio-economic opportunities and address barriers to physical activity in low-resource settings.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.