EFFECT OF ERGONOMIC BICYCLE EXERCISE ON ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN A NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY

The study examined the effects of a six-week ergonomic bicycle exercise programme on anthropometric measurements among undergraduate students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Three objectives, three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. The population for the study comprised of all undergraduate students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, and a sample size of 182, was recruited for the study. The instrument for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire titled effect of a 6-week ergonomic bicycle exercise programme on anthropometric measurement (E6-WEBEPAM) with 0.68 coefficient of reliability. Data was analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using paired samples t-test at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The findings from study showed the mean body weight for male undergraduate students was72.51kg and that of the female student was 66.33kg prior to six-weeks ergonomic bicycle exercise intervention; while it was 65.18kg for male students and 61.67kg for female undergraduate students post six-weeks of ergonomic bicycle exercise intervention. The mean body mass index for male students was 24.30kg/m2 and 24.38kg/m2 for female students prior to 6-weeks intervention; and 21.80kg/m2 for male students and 22.69kg/m2 post intervention. Percentage body fat was 18.15% for male students and 28.78% for female students prior to exercise intervention; while post exercise intervention was 15.16% for the male students and 26.75% for female students. Furthermore, the paired samples t-tested analysis revealed six-weeks participation in exercise riding the stationary ergonomic bicycle has significant effect on body mass (t= -12.287; p= 0.000); body mass index (t= -12.077; 0.000) and percentage body fats (t= -12.079; p= 0.000) among undergraduate students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. It was recommended that the university management should provide stationary ergonomic bicycles on campus and at the same time grant the students unlimited access to these fitness facilities.