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Effect of Physical Activity Practices on Obesity among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Physical activity is an important modifiable determinant of healthy body weight and plays a significant role in the prevention and management of obesity. Regular physical activity contributes to energy expenditure, cardiovascular fitness, metabolic health, psychological well-being, and maintenance of a healthy body composition. Obesity, characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat that may impair health, is associated with an increased risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and other non-communicable diseases. University students constitute an important population for obesity research because the transition to university life may be accompanied by changes in dietary habits, increased sedentary behaviour, prolonged sitting, greater screen time, academic workload, irregular sleep patterns, and reduced participation in physical activities. In Nigeria, changing lifestyles, urbanization, increased sedentary entertainment, and changing dietary patterns may contribute to increasing risks of overweight and obesity among young adults. Although regular physical activity can help maintain healthy body weight, university students may face barriers such as academic demands, inadequate recreational facilities, limited time, financial constraints, environmental conditions, and lack of motivation. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of physical activity practices on obesity among university students in Nigeria. The study is anchored on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Health Belief Model (HBM), and Social Ecological Model. Social Cognitive Theory explains physical activity behaviour through the interaction between individual characteristics, behavioural factors, environmental influences, self-efficacy, and observational learning. The Health Belief Model explains health-related behaviour based on perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers, providing a basis for understanding students' decisions to engage in physical activity and adopt healthy lifestyles. The Social Ecological Model emphasizes that physical activity and obesity are influenced by interacting individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and environmental factors. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a comprehensive framework for explaining the relationship between physical activity practices and obesity among university students in Nigeria. The study adopts a quantitative cross-sectional research design. Primary data will be collected from undergraduate and postgraduate students in selected universities in Nigeria using a structured self-administered questionnaire and standardized anthropometric measurements. A multistage sampling technique will be employed to select universities, faculties, departments, and eligible students. Physical activity practices will be assessed based on frequency, duration, intensity, and type of physical activities performed by students, including walking, running, sports, exercise, recreational activities, and other moderate-to-vigorous physical activities. A validated instrument such as the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) may be used to assess participants' physical activity levels. Obesity will be determined using measured weight and height to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), while waist circumference may also be measured to assess central obesity where appropriate. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize respondents' sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity patterns, and anthropometric measurements. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and multiple logistic regression analysis, will be employed to determine the effect of physical activity practices on obesity. Appropriate diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess multicollinearity, model specification, goodness of fit, and the robustness of the findings. The study anticipates that physical activity practices will have a significant negative effect on obesity among university students in Nigeria. Students who participate regularly in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities are expected to have lower odds of obesity than students with inadequate levels of physical activity. Regular physical activity is expected to increase energy expenditure, support healthy body composition, improve metabolic health, and reduce excessive weight gain. Conversely, physical inactivity and prolonged sedentary behaviour are expected to be associated with increased likelihood of overweight and obesity. However, obesity is influenced by several factors, including dietary intake, sleep patterns, stress, genetic predisposition, socioeconomic circumstances, and other lifestyle behaviours. Therefore, physical activity may not independently account for all variations in obesity among university students. Supportive university environments, accessible recreational facilities, health education, healthy food choices, and programmes that encourage active lifestyles may enhance the effectiveness of physical activity in obesity prevention. This study is expected to contribute to the literature on physical activity, obesity prevention, university health, and public health in Nigeria by providing empirical evidence on the relationship between physical activity practices and obesity among university students. The findings will provide useful information for universities, university health centres, student affairs departments, sports and recreation units, public health practitioners, nutrition professionals, and policymakers regarding strategies for promoting healthy lifestyles among young adults. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for expanding access to recreational and sporting facilities, promoting regular physical activity, encouraging active transportation, reducing sedentary behaviour, incorporating physical activity promotion into university health programmes, and developing comprehensive obesity-prevention interventions for university students in Nigeria.

Keywords: Physical activity practices, obesity, university students, physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour, body mass index, overweight, healthy lifestyle, obesity prevention, public health, Nigeria.