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There are three notable changes that have radically changed the landscape of higher education in South Africa (SA) over the past decade. These changes relate to access which is reflected in the growth of the student body, a movement towards free university education and a call for decolonisation of knowledge recently led by the #FeesMustFall movement in 2015. Academic mentoring can be a reflexive praxis to some of the reported challenges that have been associated with formal and epistemological access in higher education in South Africa. This article draws on the findings of a two-year pilot project (2015 to 2016) that explored academic mentoring within the Faculty of Engineering and Building Studies at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa. The article reflects on mentees' perceptions of the benefits of academic mentoring. The uniqueness of the article is that it highlights the value of mentoring during the transition between the first year at university and subsequent senior years of the students' academic trajectory. A survey approach using an evaluation-based questionnaire was employed in a sample of 14 (n = 14) participants in the first to fourth years of study towards a Bachelor's degree in Engineering. The perspectives of mentees were examined in terms of their experiences of participation and perceived benefits of mentoring, both academic and psychosocial. Generally, a considerable number of mentees who participated in the programme saw academic and psychosocial benefits resulting from their participation. Findings provide key considerations in support of the expansion and continuity of academic mentoring programmes in the Faculty of Engineering and Building Studies and the University at large. Academic mentoring is beneficial to all the stakeholders involved if it is done correctly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Waist-related measures are commonly used to classify central adiposity and related comorbidities. This classification may be essential among children, as it may identify the risk of future non-communicable diseases., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa, among 459 primary school learners aged 9-14 years. Height, weight and waist circumference (WC) were measured using standardised techniques recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). The anthropometric measurements, including body mass index (BMI), WC, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were computed and evaluated., Results: Most participants were girls (57.70%) with an average age of 11.20 ± 1.60 years. The average weight was 38.81 kg ± 10.49 kg with an average height of 144.16 (standard deviation [s.d.] = 10.37) cm. The sample had a BMI of 18.41 kg/m2 (s.d. = 3.19). The results showed, on average, WC of 62.10 cm ± 8.12 cm, WHR of 0.82 ± 0.15 and WHtR of 0.44 ± 0.05. Girls reported significantly higher BMI, WC and WHtR. Based on WHtR, the results showed the acceptable ability to classify children according to abdominal obesity, thus identifying their risk for comorbidities., Conclusion: Overall body fat indicated by BMI and central obesity shown by waist-related anthropometric measures can play a significant role in classifying children in terms of their risk of comorbidities.Contribution: To prevent the risks of metabolic diseases in childhood, it is necessary to detect abdominal obesity early using WC-based anthropometric measurements, especially WHtR, to identify those at risk.

Objective: We investigated the effects of a 12-week exercise intervention on insulin sensitivity (SI) and hyperinsulinemia and associated changes in regional and ectopic fat., Research Design and Methods: Healthy, black South African women with obesity (mean age 23 ± 3.5 years) and of isiXhosa ancestry were randomised into a 12-week aerobic and resistance exercise training group (n = 23) and a no exercise group (control, n = 22). Pre and post-intervention testing included assessment of SI, insulin response to glucose (AIRg), insulin secretion rate (ISR), hepatic insulin extraction (FEL) and disposition index (DI) (AIRg × SI) (frequently sampled i.v. glucose tolerance test); fat mass and regional adiposity (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); hepatic, pancreatic and skeletal muscle fat content and abdominal s.c. and visceral adipose tissue volumes (MRI)., Results: Exercise training increased VO2peak (mean ± s.d.: 24.9 ± 2.42 to 27.6 ± 3.39 mL/kg/min, P < 0.001), SI (2.0 (1.2-2.8) to 2.2 (1.5-3.7) (mU/l)-1 min-1, P = 0.005) and DI (median (interquartile range): 6.1 (3.6-7.1) to 6.5 (5.6-9.2) × 103 arbitrary units, P = 0.028), and decreased gynoid fat mass (18.5 ± 1.7 to 18.2 ± 1.6%, P < 0.001) and body weight (84.1 ± 8.7 to 83.3 ± .9.7 kg, P = 0.038). None of these changes were observed in the control group, but body weight increased (P = 0.030). AIRg, ISR and FEL, VAT, SAT and ectopic fat were unaltered after exercise training. The increase in SI and DI were not associated with changes in regional or ectopic fat., Conclusion: Exercise training increased SI independent from changes in hyperinsulinemia and ectopic fat, suggesting that ectopic fat might not be a principal determinant of insulin resistance in this cohort.