This study highlights the increased cardiovascular risks in overweight/obese female school learners in an understudied region of South Africa. There were higher proportions of pre-hypertension, hypertension, and low-grade inflammation in overweight/obese participants in comparison with their lean participants.

School children in Central Pretoria, South Africa, have a high level of excessive percentage body fat, with girls having significantly higher percentage body fat compared to boys. Racially, black children were fatter than white children. The excessive percentage body fat observed among the children in this study has implications for their health and fitness.