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Effect of Physical Activity Education on Physical Activity Practices among Postmenopausal Women in Nigeria

Abstract

Physical activity is an important component of healthy ageing among postmenopausal women and may contribute to improved cardiovascular health, bone health, physical functioning, mental wellbeing, and overall quality of life. However, many postmenopausal women may engage in inadequate levels of physical activity because of limited knowledge, sedentary lifestyles, cultural beliefs, physical discomfort, lack of safe exercise environments, competing household responsibilities, and limited access to structured health-promotion programmes. Physical activity education provides an opportunity to improve women's understanding of the health benefits of regular physical activity and provide practical guidance on appropriate exercises, frequency, intensity, duration, safety considerations, and ways of incorporating physical activity into daily routines. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of physical activity education on physical activity practices among postmenopausal women in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Health Promotion Model. The Health Belief Model explains how postmenopausal women's perceptions of their susceptibility to chronic diseases, perceived severity of inactivity-related health problems, perceived benefits of physical activity, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their physical activity practices. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes self-efficacy, behavioural capability, observational learning, social support, reinforcement, and environmental influences in the adoption and maintenance of physical activity. The Health Promotion Model emphasizes individual experiences, perceived benefits and barriers, interpersonal influences, and behavioural factors that influence health-promoting physical activity. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how physical activity education may influence physical activity practices among postmenopausal women in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise postmenopausal women attending selected hospitals, primary healthcare centres, women's health clinics, community health programmes, and other relevant healthcare facilities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, local government areas, communities, healthcare facilities, clinics, and eligible postmenopausal women. Physical activity education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to educational sessions, frequency and duration of education, information on the health benefits of physical activity, recommended activity levels, appropriate exercise types, exercise safety, strength and flexibility activities, balance exercises, walking and other moderate activities, practical demonstrations, educational materials, individualized counselling, and follow-up support. Physical activity practices will be assessed using indicators such as frequency of physical activity, duration of activity, intensity of activity, participation in walking, household or occupational activities, recreational exercise, strength and flexibility activities, balance exercises, sedentary time, and adherence to recommended physical activity patterns. Where appropriate, a validated physical activity assessment instrument may be used to estimate activity levels. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, physical activity assessment tools, health education records, clinic records, and relevant community health programme documents. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' characteristics, exposure to physical activity education, and patterns of physical activity. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of physical activity education on physical activity practices. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, physical activity practice scores before and after structured education may be compared, while relevant age, socioeconomic, health-status, environmental, and social-support factors are appropriately controlled. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that physical activity education has a significant positive effect on physical activity practices among postmenopausal women in Nigeria. Women who receive structured and practical physical activity education are expected to demonstrate higher levels of physical activity and greater adherence to recommended activity practices than women with limited exposure to physical activity education. Education may improve women's knowledge of the benefits of regular physical activity, increase self-efficacy, reduce misconceptions about exercise after menopause, and encourage participation in practical activities such as walking, strength exercises, flexibility exercises, and balance activities. Follow-up support may further reinforce continued participation and help women overcome common barriers to physical activity. However, physical discomfort, chronic health conditions, lack of safe exercise spaces, limited financial resources, cultural perceptions, household responsibilities, environmental barriers, and inadequate access to structured exercise programmes may reduce the effectiveness of education alone. The study therefore expects accessible, culturally appropriate, practical, and continuous physical activity education to contribute significantly to improved physical activity practices among postmenopausal women in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on physical activity education, postmenopausal health, healthy ageing, physical activity practices, non-communicable disease prevention, women's health, health promotion, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, state ministries of health, hospitals, primary healthcare centres, women's health clinics, healthcare providers, physiotherapists, community health workers, healthy ageing programmes, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for promoting active lifestyles among postmenopausal women. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating physical activity education into routine women's health and primary healthcare services, training healthcare providers in appropriate exercise counselling, developing culturally suitable physical activity education materials, promoting community-based exercise programmes, improving access to safe physical activity environments, and strengthening follow-up support for postmenopausal women across Nigeria.

Keywords: Physical activity education, physical activity practices, postmenopausal women, healthy ageing, women's health, exercise, health promotion, non-communicable disease prevention, primary healthcare, Nigeria, public health.