INFLUENCE OF EXERCISE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND WELLBEING OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

            This study was designed to appraise the influence of exercise on the academic performance and wellbeing of undergraduate students in the University of Benin.Five research question was raised out of which four were hypothesized to guide the study.

The population of the study consisted of 229 undergraduate students in the University of Benin, Benin City. A total of 116 students made up the sample for the study. Instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire which was developed by the researcher. It was validated by experts in the field of Human Kinetics and Sports Science. A descriptive statistics using frequency and percentages was used in the data analysis of the respondents’ bio-data, while Pearson Correlation, mean and standard deviation, and multiple linear regression was applied in the data analysis of raised research questions and formulated hypotheses.

The findings revealed that Physical exercise improve students’ academic performance and that there are benefits inherent in exercise as well as a significant relationship between exercise participation and wellbeing of undergraduate, and exercise is a better predictor of students' academic performance. Thedata also revealed that engaging in regular exercise reduces the risk of diseases that come with ageing thus improving ones' wellbeing. This study therefore concluded that appropriate measures should be implemented to encourage students to participate in regular exercise as it can benefit them cognitively, thereby improving their academic performance, and in turn improve their wellbeing. It was chiefly recommended that students should be on how they can strike a balance between exercising and academic performance; which can in turn impact their total wellbeing.