Project – Sedentary Lifestyle, Physical Fitness and Academic Performance among Secondary School Students: A Study of Selected Public Secondary Schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Adolescence is an important stage of human development characterised by rapid physical, psychological, social and intellectual changes. During this period, young people develop habits and behaviours that may influence their health, learning capacity and quality of life well into adulthood. One of the important behaviours requiring attention among adolescents is the balance between physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Physical activity involves bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure, while sedentary behaviour refers to waking activities performed while sitting, reclining or lying with low energy expenditure. The distinction is important because a young person may participate in some physical activity and still spend a substantial part of the day sitting for schoolwork, transportation, television viewing, gaming or smartphone use (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020).

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2020) recommends that children and adolescents aged 5–17 years should engage in an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day across the week. The guideline further recommends that vigorous-intensity aerobic activities and activities that strengthen muscles and bones should be incorporated at least three days per week. These recommendations are based on evidence linking physical activity with physical fitness, cardiometabolic health, bone health, cognitive outcomes, mental health and healthy body composition. At the same time, children and adolescents are encouraged to limit sedentary behaviour, particularly recreational screen-based activities.

The school environment occupies a particularly important position in determining the movement behaviours of adolescents. Secondary school students spend a considerable proportion of their waking hours in school, where classroom lessons, examinations, homework, reading and other academic activities necessarily involve periods of sitting. Although some sedentary educational activities are beneficial, prolonged and uninterrupted sedentary behaviour, particularly when combined with recreational screen time, may displace opportunities for physical activity. Chaput et al. (2020) note that sedentary behaviour among children and adolescents is associated with poorer fitness, unfavourable cardiometabolic outcomes, reduced sleep and other adverse health indicators. However, they also emphasise that not all sedentary activities have identical effects; reading and homework, for example, may contribute positively to academic achievement.

The increasing availability and use of digital devices has added another dimension to adolescent sedentary behaviour. Smartphones, computers, television, video games and other screen-based technologies have become integrated into the educational, social and recreational lives of young people. While technology can support learning and communication, excessive recreational screen use can extend the amount of time adolescents spend sitting or lying down. The issue is therefore not simply whether students use technology, but whether prolonged recreational screen exposure displaces physical activity, sleep and other healthy behaviours. Recent evidence from Nigeria indicates that screen-based behaviour constitutes an important component of sedentary time among adolescents, particularly in urban settings. Oyeyemi et al. (2026) reported substantial levels of sedentary and screen-based behaviours among Nigerian adolescents and noted relationships between high screen time, lower physical fitness and health risks in urban Lagos.

Physical fitness is closely related to physical activity but is not exactly the same concept. Physical fitness refers to a person’s capacity to perform physical activities effectively and efficiently. Important components include cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. Regular physical activity contributes to the development and maintenance of these fitness components. For adolescents, adequate physical fitness is particularly important because it supports healthy growth, functional capacity, participation in sports and everyday activities, and long-term health. The WHO (2020) identifies improved cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness as among the important benefits associated with adequate physical activity during childhood and adolescence.

Physical fitness may also have implications for students’ cognitive functioning and educational outcomes. The relationship between physical fitness and academic performance has attracted substantial research attention. Castelli, Hillman, Buck, and Erwin (2007), in a study involving 259 public school students, found that physical fitness was positively associated with academic achievement, with aerobic capacity showing positive associations with overall achievement, mathematics and reading. Similarly, a systematic review by Donnelly et al. (2016) concluded that physical activity and physical fitness are relevant to cognitive function and academic achievement among school-age children.

The possible connection between physical activity and academic performance may be explained through several mechanisms. Physical activity can support cardiovascular functioning and cerebral blood flow, improve attention and executive functioning, enhance mood and reduce stress. These factors can influence a student’s ability to concentrate, process information, remember learned materials and participate effectively in classroom activities. The 2016 Copenhagen Consensus Conference also concluded that physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are beneficial to brain structure, brain function and cognition among children and young people, while physical activity before, during and after school can support scholastic performance.

However, the relationship between physical activity and academic performance should not be presented as automatically causal or uniform. Academic performance is influenced by many factors, including intelligence, teaching quality, socioeconomic circumstances, parental support, school resources, study habits, sleep, nutrition, motivation and psychological well-being. A systematic review and expert-panel assessment by Singh et al. (2019) found evidence of beneficial effects of physical activity interventions on some cognitive and academic outcomes, particularly mathematics, but concluded that evidence for overall academic performance remained inconclusive. This suggests that physical activity should be viewed as one component of a broader set of factors affecting educational outcomes.

More recent evidence nevertheless provides support for the educational importance of physical activity. A systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based physical activity interventions reported significant positive effects on overall academic achievement and mathematics performance, although variation existed according to the intensity and duration of interventions. The authors found that moderate-intensity activity and longer interventions could be particularly beneficial for some academic outcomes (Effects of school-based physical activity on academic achievement in children and adolescents, 2025).

The Nigerian context is particularly important because patterns of physical activity among adolescents are shaped by environmental, socioeconomic, cultural and school-related circumstances. Oyeyemi et al. (2016), in a study of 1,006 secondary school adolescents in Nigeria, examined physical activity across home, school, transport and leisure domains. The study demonstrated that adolescents’ physical activity patterns varied across different contexts and sociodemographic groups. This indicates that understanding adolescent physical activity requires attention to the environment in which young people live and study rather than relying solely on general assumptions about exercise participation.

Evidence from Lagos State further demonstrates the relevance of the issue. A study involving 720 school-attending adolescents aged 12–19 years from 20 schools in Lagos found that 82.8% of participants who provided complete data met the recommended moderate-to-vigorous physical activity level. The study also found that the amount of activity varied according to activity domain, including household, school, transportation, sport and leisure activities. Interestingly, students in public schools were more likely to meet the recommended activity level than those in private schools. This finding demonstrates that public-school adolescents should not automatically be assumed to be inactive, but it also highlights the need to examine physical activity patterns within specific school and local government contexts.

Another Lagos-based study by Njokanma et al. (2022) examined dietary habits, physical activity and sleep patterns among 1,120 adolescents recruited from public and private secondary schools. The study reported that approximately one-quarter of the adolescents had more than two hours of daily screen time, while only a small proportion participated in sporting activities up to five times per week. The researchers concluded that inadequate physical activity and insufficient sleep were among the health-related behaviours observed among the adolescents. Such findings demonstrate the importance of examining sedentary lifestyle and physical activity together rather than treating them as completely separate behaviours.

The Lagos school environment may present several barriers to regular physical activity. Adebusoye et al. (2023), in a qualitative study involving school decision-makers in Lagos State, identified student-related, parent-related and school-related barriers to adolescent physical activity. These included lack of interest, body-image concerns, parental objections, insufficient resources, limited prioritisation of physical activity, shortage of physical and health education teachers, inadequate facilities and overloaded academic programmes. The study also found that some schools offered physical and health education mainly in junior classes and that practical activity could receive less attention than theoretical instruction.

These challenges are significant because secondary school education is increasingly characterised by academic pressure. Students are expected to complete extensive curricula, prepare for internal and external examinations and devote considerable time to classroom lessons and private study. In some settings, physical education and recreational activities may consequently be regarded as secondary to academic subjects. Adebusoye et al. (2023) found that some school decision-makers reported that physical activity was not sufficiently prioritised because of academic demands and overloaded school curricula. Such an approach may unintentionally encourage prolonged sitting and reduce opportunities for active movement.

There is also a need to distinguish between sedentary time associated with legitimate educational activities and unhealthy sedentary lifestyles. Sitting in class, reading textbooks or completing homework may be educationally necessary. However, prolonged sitting combined with recreational television viewing, social media, gaming and other screen-based activities can substantially increase total sedentary time. Chaput et al. (2020) emphasise that sedentary behaviour should be interpreted according to its context, noting that recreational screen time is more consistently associated with adverse outcomes than sedentary activities such as homework and reading.

The academic consequences of sedentary lifestyles therefore deserve attention. A student who spends long hours sitting and engaging in recreational screen activities may have less time for exercise, sleep and other health-promoting behaviours. Reduced physical activity may contribute to poorer physical fitness, which may in turn affect energy levels, concentration, classroom engagement and general readiness for learning. Nevertheless, these relationships are complex, and the present study does not assume that sedentary behaviour alone determines academic performance. Rather, it seeks to investigate the relationship between sedentary lifestyle, physical fitness and academic performance within a specific secondary school population.

The relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement has also been supported by research involving secondary school students. For example, research examining physiological performance, physical fitness and academic achievement among secondary school students found meaningful associations between aspects of fitness and academic achievement, reinforcing the possibility that physical fitness has educational as well as health-related relevance. Similarly, systematic reviews have generally reported either positive or mixed relationships between physical activity and academic achievement, while indicating that physical activity is unlikely to harm educational performance and may provide cognitive and academic benefits (Álvarez-Bueno et al., 2016; Donnelly et al., 2016).

The issue is particularly relevant in an urban environment such as Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State. Ikeja is characterised by a highly urbanised environment in which students may experience traffic congestion, limited open spaces, intensive academic schedules, increased exposure to digital technology and other factors that can influence opportunities for physical activity. At the same time, public secondary schools serve students from varied socioeconomic and family backgrounds. The availability of school playgrounds, sports equipment, qualified physical and health education teachers, timetabled activity periods and opportunities for active recreation may differ from one school to another.

Public secondary schools therefore provide an important setting for examining how students’ everyday movement patterns relate to physical fitness and educational outcomes. Although research has examined physical activity among adolescents in Lagos State, there remains value in focusing specifically on students attending selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area. Such a study can provide context-specific evidence regarding the extent of sedentary behaviour, the physical fitness status of students and the possible relationship between these factors and academic performance.

Consequently, the present study focuses on Sedentary Lifestyle, Physical Fitness and Academic Performance among Secondary School Students: A Study of Selected Public Secondary Schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State. The study is premised on the understanding that healthy adolescent development involves more than academic achievement alone. A balanced school environment should support intellectual development alongside physical health, fitness and active lifestyles. By examining these variables together, the study seeks to contribute evidence that can assist schools, teachers, parents, education authorities and other stakeholders in developing approaches that promote both healthy living and effective learning among secondary school students.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The increasing amount of time adolescents spend in sedentary activities has become an important public health and educational concern. Secondary school students spend many hours seated in classrooms, studying, doing assignments and preparing for examinations. Although these educational activities are necessary, they may be accompanied by additional periods of sedentary behaviour during transportation, television viewing, smartphone use, social media engagement, computer use and video gaming. When such behaviours accumulate, students may have fewer opportunities to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and develop adequate physical fitness. The WHO (2020) therefore recommends that adolescents limit sedentary behaviour, particularly recreational screen time, while maintaining regular physical activity.

The problem becomes more important when the sedentary lifestyle is considered in relation to physical fitness. Adolescence is a period when cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness can be developed through regular physical activity. However, excessive sedentary behaviour and inadequate participation in physical activity may reduce opportunities for fitness development. Evidence from Nigerian adolescents indicates that sedentary and screen-based behaviours are significant components of young people’s daily routines, while recent Nigerian evidence has linked high screen time in urban adolescents with lower physical fitness and health risks.

Another concern is the perception that physical activity may interfere with academic achievement. In highly examination-oriented educational environments, students and parents may believe that time spent playing sports, exercising or participating in physical education takes valuable time away from studying. Evidence from Lagos schools shows that some parents discourage physical activity because they believe that students should concentrate primarily on academic activities. Similarly, some school decision-makers reported that overloaded curricula and strong emphasis on academic engagement reduced opportunities for physical activity.

This perception is problematic because research does not support the assumption that physical activity necessarily undermines academic performance. On the contrary, evidence suggests that physical fitness may be positively associated with academic achievement and that physical activity may support cognitive functioning. Castelli et al. (2007) found positive relationships between physical fitness and academic achievement, while Donnelly et al. (2016) identified evidence connecting physical activity and fitness with cognitive and academic outcomes. However, the evidence is not completely uniform, and some systematic reviews have reported mixed findings. This makes it necessary to investigate the relationship within particular populations rather than assuming that the same pattern applies everywhere.

There is also a contextual problem within Lagos State. Existing studies have provided useful information about adolescent physical activity in Lagos, including levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, screen time, sports participation and barriers to physical activity. For example, studies involving adolescents across Lagos schools have identified differences in activity levels and highlighted barriers related to school resources, parental attitudes, academic priorities and school-level practices. However, much of the available evidence addresses physical activity or sedentary behaviour broadly rather than examining sedentary lifestyle, physical fitness and academic performance together within selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area.

A further problem is that academic performance is often treated as though it exists independently of students’ physical health. Schools naturally place substantial emphasis on examination results, grades and progression, but students’ capacity to learn may also be influenced by sleep, physical activity, fitness, nutrition, stress and general health. If sedentary behaviour becomes excessive and physical fitness declines, students may experience consequences that extend beyond physical health to concentration, classroom engagement and educational outcomes. Understanding these connections is therefore important for developing a more comprehensive approach to secondary education.

The school environment itself may also contribute to the problem. Adebusoye et al. (2023) identified inadequate facilities, insufficient personnel, limited prioritisation of physical activity and overloaded academic programmes as barriers within Lagos secondary schools. Some schools may have limited playground space or equipment, while physical and health education may receive less practical attention at senior secondary levels. These circumstances can make it difficult for students to achieve adequate levels of physical activity during the school day.

At the same time, the existence of physical activity opportunities does not necessarily mean that students will participate consistently. Individual motivation, gender, body image, parental attitudes, peer influence, access to facilities, school policies and perceived academic demands can all influence participation. The Lagos evidence demonstrates that these factors operate at multiple levels, suggesting that sedentary lifestyle and physical fitness should be studied within the social and educational environment in which students live.

Therefore, the central problem addressed by this study is the need to establish whether sedentary lifestyle is associated with physical fitness and whether physical fitness is related to academic performance among secondary school students in selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State. Without such evidence, school administrators, teachers, parents and education policymakers may find it difficult to determine whether greater attention should be given to physical activity and fitness as part of strategies for improving students’ overall educational outcomes.

The study consequently seeks to provide empirical evidence on the sedentary lifestyle patterns of students, their levels of physical fitness and their academic performance, as well as the relationship among these variables. The findings may help to clarify whether promoting appropriate physical activity and physical fitness can complement rather than compete with academic objectives in public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between sedentary lifestyle, physical fitness and academic performance among secondary school students in selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. determine the level and pattern of sedentary lifestyle among secondary school students in selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area;
2. identify the major sedentary activities commonly engaged in by the students;
3. assess the level of physical fitness among secondary school students in the selected schools;
4. determine the level of academic performance of the students

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What is the level and pattern of sedentary lifestyle among secondary school students in selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area?
2. What are the major sedentary activities commonly engaged in by the students?
3. What is the level of physical fitness among secondary school students in the selected public secondary schools?
4. What is the level of academic performance of the students?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between sedentary lifestyle, physical fitness and academic performance among secondary school students in selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to students because it will increase their awareness of the possible consequences of prolonged sedentary behaviour and the importance of maintaining adequate physical activity and fitness. The findings may encourage students to develop healthier daily routines that balance academic activities with appropriate physical movement and recreation.

The study will also be useful to teachers, particularly physical and health education teachers, because it will provide evidence on students’ physical activity and fitness patterns. The findings may assist teachers in designing appropriate physical activities and encouraging students to participate in active recreation without compromising academic responsibilities.

For school administrators, the study may provide evidence to support decisions concerning school sports programmes, physical and health education, recreational periods, school facilities and the scheduling of physical activities. It may also help administrators understand that physical activity can be considered part of a comprehensive educational environment rather than merely an extracurricular activity.

The study will be beneficial to parents and guardians by providing information about the importance of balancing academic study with healthy physical activity. It may challenge the belief that time devoted to appropriate physical activity necessarily reduces students’ academic prospects.

The findings may also be useful to the Lagos State Ministry of Education and other education policymakers in planning school-based health and physical activity programmes. Evidence from Lagos has already identified resource constraints and competing academic priorities as barriers to adolescent physical activity; local evidence from Ikeja may assist in developing more targeted interventions.

Finally, the study will contribute to the academic literature on sedentary behaviour, physical fitness and educational outcomes among Nigerian adolescents. It may serve as a reference for researchers undertaking related studies in physical and health education, educational psychology, public health, sports science and adolescent health.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on Sedentary Lifestyle, Physical Fitness and Academic Performance among Secondary School Students in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State.

The study will be limited geographically to selected public secondary schools within Ikeja Local Government Area. The target population will consist of students enrolled in the selected schools. In terms of content, the study will examine students’ sedentary lifestyle, including prolonged sitting and recreational screen-related behaviours; their physical fitness; their academic performance; and factors influencing their physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

The study will focus on selected dimensions of physical fitness that are appropriate for secondary school students, such as cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength/endurance, flexibility and related physical fitness indicators. Academic performance will be considered in terms of students’ academic results or other appropriate school-based indicators selected for the study.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

One limitation of the study may be the possibility of self-reporting bias, particularly in questions concerning sedentary activities and physical activity. Students may underestimate or overestimate the amount of time they spend using electronic devices or engaging in physical activities.

Another limitation may be differences among schools in the availability of sports facilities, playgrounds, physical education teachers and opportunities for organised physical activity. These differences may influence students’ activity patterns and fitness levels.

The study may also be affected by academic schedules and examination periods. Students’ activity patterns during examinations may differ from their usual routines because of increased study time and reduced recreational opportunities.

Finally, because the study is limited to selected public secondary schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, the findings may not be generalisable to all secondary school students in Lagos State or Nigeria. Nevertheless, the study will provide useful evidence concerning the selected population and setting.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Academic Performance: The level of achievement demonstrated by a student in school-related academic activities, usually reflected through examination scores, test results, continuous assessment or other recognised school performance indicators.

Adolescents: Young people undergoing the developmental transition between childhood and adulthood; in this study, the term refers primarily to secondary school-aged students.

Physical Activity: Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure, including walking, running, sports, exercise, active transportation, games and other movement-related activities.

Physical Fitness: The capacity of an individual to perform daily activities and physical tasks effectively without undue fatigue. In this study, it includes relevant components such as cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength/endurance and flexibility.

Sedentary Behaviour: Waking behaviour characterised by sitting, reclining or lying while expending very little energy. Examples include prolonged sitting, television viewing, recreational smartphone use, gaming and computer-based activities.

Sedentary Lifestyle: A pattern of daily living characterised by substantial amounts of sedentary behaviour and insufficient opportunities or participation in physical activity.

Secondary School Students: Learners enrolled in junior or senior secondary education in the selected public secondary schools covered by this study.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into five chapters. Chapter One presents the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, hypothesis, significance, scope, limitations and operational definitions.

Chapter Two will review relevant literature on sedentary lifestyle, physical activity, physical fitness and academic performance. It will include the conceptual review, theoretical framework, empirical review and identified gap in the literature.

Chapter Three will present the research methodology, including the research design, study area, population, sample and sampling techniques, research instrument, validity and reliability of the instrument, data collection procedures and methods of data analysis.

Chapter Four will present and analyse the data collected from respondents in accordance with the research questions and hypothesis.

Chapter Five will contain the summary of findings, conclusion and recommendations based on the results of the study. Suggestions for further research will also be presented.

Project – Sedentary Lifestyle, Physical Fitness and Academic Performance among Secondary School Students: A Study of Selected Public Secondary Schools in Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State