International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences Vol. 8(6), pp. 534 - 542
DOI: 10.13189/saj.2020.080628
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Mental Wellbeing and Exercise Participation during COVID-19 Pandemic among Adult Residents of Nigeria's Niger Delta

Nabofa Ochuko Eric ^1,*, Akarah Emmanuel Oghenebrorien ¹, Angba Tessy Onogimesike ², Onohwosafe Peter Suoke ^3
1 Department of Human Kinetics, Recreation and Sports Science Education, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
² Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, National Open University of Nigeria, University Village Plot 91, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria
³ Health and Safety Unit, Institute of Education, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Exercise can help mitigate mental wellbeing problems that people are likely to suffer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, there are few or no official guidelines on exercising among the strategies for containing the pandemic. It could be due to the fact that the relationship between exercise participation and mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic had been empirically demonstrated. This study was conducted to establish the relationship between exercise participation and mental wellbeing during the pandemic among the adult residents of Nigeria's Niger Delta metropolitan cities. The cross-sectional survey research design was adopted to study all adult residents in the area. A sample of 1,800 adult residents was selected using purposive and stratified systematic sampling techniques. The 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) and the Exercise Participation Questionnaire (EPQ) adapted from the Historical Adulthood Physical Activity Questionnaire (HAPAQ) were the data collection instruments. Frequency counts, means, standard deviations and linear regression analysis were used to analyse data. It was found that, although Total Daily Energy Expenditure on exercise during the pandemic was found to be significantly (β = 0. 504, t = 13.905, p = 0.000) related to mental wellbeing of respondents during the pandemic. It was concluded that current exercise participation can help in preserving one's mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KEYWORDS
Anxiety, Infections, Exercise Participation, Mental Wellbeing, Survey

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Nabofa Ochuko Eric , Akarah Emmanuel Oghenebrorien , Angba Tessy Onogimesike , Onohwosafe Peter Suoke , "Mental Wellbeing and Exercise Participation during COVID-19 Pandemic among Adult Residents of Nigeria's Niger Delta," International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 534 - 542, 2020. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2020.080628.

(b). APA Format:
Nabofa Ochuko Eric , Akarah Emmanuel Oghenebrorien , Angba Tessy Onogimesike , Onohwosafe Peter Suoke (2020). Mental Wellbeing and Exercise Participation during COVID-19 Pandemic among Adult Residents of Nigeria's Niger Delta. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 8(6), 534 - 542. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2020.080628.