PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR AND WEIGHT STATUS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN DIVO, CÔTE D'IVOIRE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Data on physical activity among Ivorian adolescents living outside Abidjan are scarce. This study assessed physical activity and sedentary behavior among secondary school students in Divo and examined their association with weight status. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2024 to January 2025 among 400 students aged 11 to 22 years in two schools. Movement behaviors were collected by questionnaire, and weight and height were measured. Weight status was based on WHO 2007 BMI-for-age z-scores, with adult cut-offs for students aged 20 to 22 years. Each indicator was tested in a logistic model adjusted for sex and age, and the BMI-for-age z-score was analyzed by linear regression among 11–19-year-olds. Only 10.8% of students took part in physical activity outside physical education classes, mostly school football among boys. Most students (83.2%) walked to school, and 80.2% reported at least 5 hours of screen time per day at weekends. Lack of motivation was mainly cited by girls. Overweight or obesity affected 6.5% of students and thinness 2.0%. Four or more hours of inactivity per day was associated with overweight (aOR = 3.16; 95% CI: 1.32–7.56), and the absence of an active trip of at least 15 minutes was associated with a higher BMI-for-age z-score (β = +0.37; 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.54). Promoting school sport, especially for girls, and keeping walking to school safe should be priorities.