ABSTRACT
Background of the study: It has been reported that 22% to 80% of university students are physically inactive globally. Despite the well-known health benefits of Physical Activity (PA), people still find it difficult to engage in PA.
Aim(s): This study was aimed to assessing the PA needs of undergraduate students at the University of Benin, their perceived barriers to PA and their PA level.
Methodology: A mixed-method, involving a cross-sectional study design and a focus group discussion (FGD) was used in this study. Multistage cluster sampling and convenience sampling were used to select respondents for the cross-sectional (n=402) and FGD (n=9). The PA needs, PA levels, and barriers to PA of respondents were assessed using assessment of PA needs checklist, international physical activity questionnaire and perceived barrier to PA questionnaire, respectively.
Results: The result revealed that 40.3% of the sample was not physically active, 41.3% were moderately active while 18.4% were highly active. Males were more physically active than females. The most reported barrier to PA was time limitation due to school work and other recreational activities (35.8%), high cost of gym membership (33.1%), lack of access to places to be physically active (30.3%), tiredness (27.4%). Security in places/safety was the most reported PA need (53.7%), others include provision of PA equipment at the sports complex (50.3%), road lighting (46.3), awareness of PA, routine PA at the faculty level, incorporation of PA into the school curricula.
Conclusion: The level of physical inactivity among undergraduate students of the University of Benin was high. Provision of security/safety was the major PA need of the students with others such as subsidy on gym membership, road lighting, car-free zone, awareness on PA, adding PA into the school curricula, motivation in the form of competitions. The school should make provisions for the PA needs of the students
Keywords: Physical activity, perceived Barriers, physical inactivity, physical activity needs, Physical activitylevel.
