Introduction
NCDs, noncommunicable diseases
DISEASES
Unhealthy behaviors, such as physical inactivity, and subsequent cardiometabolic changes including increased weight, raised blood pressure (BP), high plasma glucose, or an abnormal lipid profile are well-established risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) diseases (One strategy to halt the incidence of NCDs is promoting healthy, active lifestyles from a young age (However, conflicting literature exists about the effectiveness of school-embedded programs in increasing PA and improving health among children. Systematic reviews have demonstrated either no improvement in PA and cardiovascular risk (Furthermore, the majority of evidence originates from high-income countries. In South Africa, varying results have been described for school-based interventions on health behaviors and risk among underprivileged adolescents (Against this background, we developed the 