Table 3.

Mental and/or physical health outcomes in physical activity studies in Sub-Saharan Africa

First author	Country	Design	Participants	Physical activity intervention or assessment	Mental and/or physical health outcomes+
Aweto 2016 [33]	Nigeria	RCT	18 (32.1±5.4 years) outpatients with HIV; BMI=26.1±1.4 vs 15 controls with HIV with care as usual (30.7±5.8 years); 10♂/33	6 weeks, 3*week, 30min moderate intensity aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer provided by a physiotherapist	The Beck Depression Index score only reduced significantly in the exercise group [10.3±6.5 vs.3.5±1.3;P<0.001]
Balchin 2016 [34]	South-Africa	RCT	30♂ moderately depressed; mean age=25.4 years, mean BMI=26.9	6 weeks, 3xweek, 60min high vs moderate vs low intensity aerobic exercise; providers unknown	The HAM-D (15.9±1.8 vs. 5.7±5.8 and 16.4±1.4 vs. 6.6±5.0 vs. 17.1±1.2 vs. 11.8±3.9, respectively) and MADRS 12.7±4.0 vs. 7.0±6.7 and 14.4±4.3 vs. 9.0±6.7 vs. 18.8±6.4 vs. 15.0±5.2, respectively) only reduced significantly in the high and moderate intensity aerobic exercise
Asare 2015 [35]	Ghana	Cross-sectional	296 adolescents (boys=150, girls=146); 13-18 years	Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents The Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire	Significant negative correlation with physical activity independent of sedentary behaviour [CDI (r=-0.78, p<0.001); BIS physical self-worth (r=-0.71, p < 0.001); BIS body dissatisfaction (r=-0.76, p < 0.001)]. Sedentary behaviour significantly associated with CDI (r=0.68, p<0.001). Affluence was a significant contributing factor of sedentary behaviour [t(294)=-7.30, p<0.001]
Fatiregun 2014 [36]	Nigeria	Cross-sectional	1,713 adolescents (boys=766, girls=947); 10-19 years	Self-report participation in sporting activities	Respondents who did not participate in any sporting activities had a higher proportion of depressive symptoms (27.3%) when compared with those who did participate in sporting activities (19.4%; P=0.001)
Richards 2014 [37]	Uganda	RCT	1,462 adolescents in the study (intervention: boys=74, girls=81; wait-list: boys=72;comparison: boys=472, girls= 63); 11-14 years	One 90min training and one 40min football game every weekdelivered by 6 paid staff who selected and trained 32 volunteer adults from the local community to become football and peace-building coaches	Negative effect on DLS when comparing boys intervention vs wait-listed (ES = 0.67 [0.33 to 1.00]) and intervention vs non-registered (ES = 0.25 [0.00 to 0.49]). Idem for ALS for boys intervention vs wait-listed (ES = 0.63 [0.30 to 0.96]) and intervention vs non-registered (ES = 0.26 [0.01 to 0.50]). There was no significant effect on the girls for any outcomes

⁺Physical health outcomes only reported in mental health populations; RCT= randomized controlled trial, HAM-D= Hamilton depression score, MADRS=Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, DLS=Acholi Psychosocial Assessment Instrument for local depression-like syndromes, ALS= Acholi Psychosocial Assessment Instrument for local anxiety-like syndromes; CDI= Children’s Depression Inventory; BIS=Body Image Silhouette test.