Staff

Academic Profile

Felicitas Nqweniso

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Designation: Dr.

E-mail: SNqweniso@ufh.ac.za

Contact Number: +27722296293

Position: Senior Lecturer

Campus: Alice

Faculty: Health Sciences

Department: Human Movement Sciences

Address: Human Movement Science, Office no. 1, Human Movement Science Department, Alice campus

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siphesihle-felicitas-nqweniso-phd-98a389129/

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=uZinr4wAAAAJ&hl=en

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Siphesihle-Nqweniso?ev=hdr_xprf

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Felicitas Nqweniso
Academic Biography

Dr Siphesihle Nqweniso is a Senior Lecturer and Biokineticist in the Department of Human Movement Science in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Fort Hare She is a dedicated academic whose research focuses on child health and physical activity promotion, with an emphasis on the implementation of school-based interventions targeting cardiovascular disease risk factors and body composition among children and adolescents from resource-limited communities. Dr Nqweniso holds a PhD in Human Movement Science from Nelson Mandela University, where she was involved in the KaziAfya project—an internationally funded, multidisciplinary intervention study implemented across South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tanzania. Her scholarly work has contributed to the development of impactful school-based programmes, such as KaziKidz (www.kazibantu.org), which aim to enhance physical literacy, improve fitness levels, and promote healthy lifestyles in resource-limited settings. She has published extensively in high-impact journals including BMC Public Health, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, and BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. Her scholarly impact is reflected in over 565 citations, an h-index of 13, and an i10-index of 16 (Google Scholar). She has authored and co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications and has presented her research at national and international conferences. In recognition of her academic excellence, Dr Nqweniso is a recipient of the 2024 Chancellor’s Excellence Award for the Early Career Research Award from Nelson Mandela University. Dr Nqweniso has successfully secured research grants from the National Research Foundation (NRF), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the South African Medical Research Council (Self-Initiated Research grant). Her international research partnerships include collaborations with the University of Basel (Switzerland), Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Switzerland), Ifakara Health Institute (Tanzania), and Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (Côte d’Ivoire). She also serves as a co-principal investigator on a study enhancing the quality of physical education through teacher training programmes. As a dedicated academic and mentor, she lectures undergraduate and postgraduate students in Human Movement Science, and supervises honours, master’s and PhD students. She is currently the Research and Postgraduate Coordinator in her department and serves on the faculty research committee. Her research continues to influence the development of school-based health strategies and non-communicable disease prevention efforts, positioning her as a voice in advancing health equity through education and physical activity in South Africa and beyond.

Qualifications
  • PhD in Human Movement Science from Nelson Mandela University (2023)
  • MA in Human Movement Scince from Nelson Mandela University (2018)
  • BA Honours in Biokinetics from Nelson Mandela University (2014)
  • Bachelor of Human Movement Science from Nelson Mandela University (2013)

Research

Research Interests
  • Physical activity
  • Child health
  • Quality Physical Education
  • Cardiovascular disease risk
  • Physical fitness
  • Body composition
  • Health promotion
  • School-based interventions
Latest Publications

Joubert, N., Adams, L., Hattendorf, J., Degen, J., Dolley, D., Müller, I., Nqweniso, S. et al. (2025). Predictors of metabolic syndrome among teachers in under-resourced schools in South Africa: Baseline findings from the KaziHealth workplace health intervention. PLoS Global Public Health, 5(6): e0004681. 10.1371/journal.pgph.0004681

Arnaiz, P., Bergman, M., Seelig, H., Gerber, M., Nqweniso, S., Utzinger, J., Pühse, U., Müller, I. et al. (2024). Acceptability and perceived feasibility of the KaziKidz health promotion intervention among educators and caregivers in schools from South Africa: a qualitative descriptive study. BMC Public Heath, 24:934. 10.1186/s12889-024-18456-3

Long, K Z., Beckmann, J., Lang, C., Seelig, H., Nqweniso, S., Utzinger, J., Gerber, M. et al. (2024). Randomized trial to improve children's body composition and micronutrient status among South African Children. Am. J. Prev. Med , 000(000):1−11. 10.1016/j.amepre.2024.01.017

Nqweniso, S., Walter, C., du Randt, R., Adams, L., Coulibaly, JT., Gerber, M. et al. (2023) Associations between soil-transmitted helminth infections and physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular disease risk in primary schoolchildren from Gqeberha, South Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 17(10): e0011664. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011664

Arnaiz, P., Guntlisbergen, F., Infanger, D., Gerber, M., Nqweniso, S. et al. Association of accelerometry-based and self-reported physical activity with cardiovascular risk in South African children. (2023). S. Afr. J. Sci , 119(9/10). 10.17159/sajs.2023/15494

Dolley, D., du Randt, R., Gerber, M., Nqweniso, S. et al. (2023). Effects of the KaziBantu school-based health intervention on non-communicable disease risk factors of children from low-income schools in Gqeberha, South Africa. Afr. J. Phys. Act. Health Sci, 29(4):352-370. 10.37597/ajphes.2023.29.4.2

Beckmann, J., Nqweniso, S., Ludyga, S., du Randt, R., Gresse, A., Long, K.Z. et al. (2022). Evaluation of a Physical Activity and Multi-Micronutrient Intervention on Cognitive and Academic Performance in South African Primary Schoolchildren. Nutrients,14, 2609. 10.3390/nu14132609

Gerber, M., Ayekoe, S., Beckmann, J., Bonfoh, B., Nqweniso, S., Okumu, F., Walter, C., Utzinger, J. et al. (2021). Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Is Associated with Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among Primary Schoolchildren Living in Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa, and Tanzania. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 671782. 10.3389/fpubh.2021.671782

Nqweniso, S.; du Randt, R.; Adams, L.; Bosman, J.; Degen, J.; Gall, S.; Gerber, M.; Joubert, N.; Müller, I.; Pühse, U.; Utzinger, J.; Walter, C.; et al. (2021). Effect of school-based interventions on body composition of grade-4 children from lower socioeconomic communities in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. South African Journal of Child Health, 15 (2), 89-98. 10.7196/SAJCH.2021.v15i2.01762

Gerber, M.; Lang, C., Beckmann, J., du Randt, R., du Randt, R., Nqweniso, S., Pühse, U., Utzinger, J., Walter, C., et al. (2021). How are academic achievement and inhibitory control associated with physical fitness, soil-transmitted helminth infections, food insecurity and stunting among South African primary schoolchildren? BMC Public Health, 21, 852. 10.1186/s12889-021-10779-9

Nqweniso, S., Walter, C., du Randt, R., Adams, L., Beckmann, J., Lang, C., Long, K.Z., Gerber, M., et al. (2021). Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Clustered Cardiovascular Risk in South African Primary Schoolchildren from Disadvantaged Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18, 2080. 10.3390/ijerph18042080

Gall, S., Walter, C., du Randt, R., Müller, I., Nqweniso, S., Pühse, U., Steinmann, P., Utzinger, J., & Gerber, M. (2020). Changes in self-reported physical activity predict health-related quality of life among South African schoolchildren: findings from the DASH intervention trial. Frontiers in Public Health, section Children and Health, 8. 10.3389/fpubh.2020.492618

Nqweniso, S., Walter, C., du Randt, R., Aerts, A., Adams, L., Degen, J., Seelig, H., Steinmann, P., Probst-Hensch, N., Utzinger, J., Pühse, U., and Gerber, M. (2020). Prevention of Overweight and Hypertension through Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Extracurricular Sport Participation among South African Schoolchildren. Sustainability, 12(16), 6581. 10.3390/su12166581