PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AS A THERAPEUTIC MEANS OF HEALTHFUL LIVING AMONG STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, KWARA STATE

Abstract

Healthful living extends to areas such as the state of mind, relationship with people, environment, mental health, physiological state of the body, ability of an individual, interests, habits, behavior, taking full responsibility and making smart and good health choices for today and for the future.

Objectives: The study examined physical activities as a therapeutic for healthful living among students of University of Ilorin Nigeria.

Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research of survey type. This method is used to enable researchers to obtain quick information on physical activities as a therapeutic means of healthful living among students of University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State directly from the primary source and also conducting rigorous quantitative and qualitative research. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select sample for this study.  First, proportionate sampling technique using researcher advisors models was used to sampled 5% (200) undergraduates students from 4000 undergraduates in 2019/2020 and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 200 undergraduates students for the study . The instrument was self-structured questionnaire validated and tested for reliability through test-retest method. Chi-square (X²) statistic was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level and to test the relationship between categorical variables stated in the hypotheses.  Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 25.0 was used for data analysis.

Results: Table two shows that, the calculated value of 70.899 is greater than the critical value of 21.03 at the degree of freedom of 12 at 0.05 alpha level, the null hypothesis is thereby rejected. This means that there is significant influence of the impact and benefit of physical activities in promoting and maintaining the better health of students. The results also  revealed that there is significant influence effect of physical activities among students in their daily activities of an active healthful living and that there is significant influence of student’s knowledge about physical activities and physiological functioning among students of University of Ilorin.

Conclusion: The study concluded that there was significant influence of the impact and benefits of physical activities in promoting and maintaining the better health of students in University of Ilorin and Physical activities had significant influence on the daily activities and healthful living of students of University of Ilorin.