COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF RECREATIONAL  PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES  ON   BODY COMPOSITION AMONG  PUPILS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE  PRIMARY   SCHOOLS

AKODU A K* ;   IBEAUCHI  N M**; AKINBO S R A*  OGUNMUYIWA O D*;

^*Department of Physiotherapy and  ^**Department of Anatomy,

College of Medicine, University of Lagos

Address   correspondence  to

AKODU A  K

akoduashiyatkehinde@yahoo.co.uk,      akoduashiyat@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background: Recreational Physical Activities (RPA) in primary schools enhances the cardiorespiratory, neuromuscular,  skeletal and  metabolic systems of children and it  is however declining in this institutions,  portending a threat to community and public health.

Objective : This study was designed  to  compare the effect of  RPA  on body composition among pupils in public and private primary schools in Surulere Local Government area (LGA), Lagos, Nigeria .

Methods: A total of  400 apparently healthy pupils (200 males and 200  females) aged 7-11 years and  recruited from 12 randomly selected public and private schools   participated in the study. Anthropometric variables including  height, weight, waist and hip circumferences (WC and HC), triceps, subscapular, and calf skin fold thicknesses were  measured.

Results: There was  significant difference in  height, weight, WC, HC, BMI, SFT and %BF (p<0.05) between male and female pupils of  both public  and private schools and no significant difference in WHR (t=-0.15,p=0.88;  t=-0.04,p=0.97) between  male and female pupils of public and private primary schools respectively in Surulere, Lagos.

Conclusion : The pupils in private schools  had a greater proportion of overweight and obesity, even though they had better RPA facilities than those in the public schools. Keywords: Body Composition, Recreational Physical Activities,  Primary School Pupils.