RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND BODY EXERCISE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

This paper investigated the influence of recreational activities and body exercise among secondary school students in Kwara State. This paper explores types of exercise, benefits of physical exercise, risk of physical exercise and well as health and recreation. Four research questions and four research hypotheses were raised and generated to guide the study.This researcher employed a descriptive research survey method. The population consists of all secondary school students in Kwara State. The sample is made up of 2400 secondary school students selected through a multistage sample technique across the three senatorial districts in Kwara State. Data were collected using a questionnaire, validity of the instrument was established and reliability was ascertained by administering it twice after an interval of three weeks to 60 secondary school students in Oyo State, who were not part of the sample. Data analysis was done using percentage, mean and chi-square for testing the hypotheses formulated at 0.05 alpha levels.Based on the findings it is revealed that all the hypotheses tested were rejected as there was a significant influencing in the expression of secondary school students based on gender, age, class level and religion. It was recommended that students and other individual should engage themselves in physical activities to explore the benefits as they reduce body fat and improve weight control of both old and young persons, ease and possibly eliminate back pain problems for both the old and young while recreational activities help in relaxing the mind. Recreational activities like reading increases knowledge among others.