Study Primarily Aims to Investigate the Roles and Benefits of Sports or the Physical Health of People
Abstract of Study Primarily Aims to Investigate the Roles and Benefits of Sports or the Physical Health of People
This research work is aimed at finding out the roles and benefits of sports on the physical health of the people. The study was carried out in a selected part of the University of Benin. A questionnaire with twenty questions was designed and administered to areas covered. A total sixty-five students were selected for sampling.
From the data collected and analyzed with simple percentage, it was discovered that majority of people know the roles and benefits of sports on the physical health of the people.
Judging from analysis it is dear that people attitude towards sports has changed positively therefore for the people who have negative attitude some recommendations were made.
viThe Government authority should organize public talk shows, print handbills etc to enlighten people on the roles and benefits of sports on the physical health of the people.
Chapter One of Study Primarily Aims to Investigate the Roles and Benefits of Sports or the Physical Health of People
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The roles of sports in our daily lifestyle cannot be overemphasized as much claims have been placed on its values, importance, prospects , goals and achievements which is all truly proven beyond facts and contestation. It is to be noted that we take into consideration that a little work has been done on the roles and benefits of sports on the physical health of the people in as much to say devising a plan or an action intended to accomplish specific goals or outcomes in sports as well as using sports as a medium to produce the needed effect in the human body.
Sport has various definitions given by various sources. Sport can be defined as an activity involving the physical exertion and skill in which the individual and team competes against one another for recreation or entertainment (oxford learner’s dictionary,2014).Sport is athletic and uses physical or competitive skills. Sport has been defined as a form of physical activity that is institutionalized with defined rules and regulations and accepted and governed by international bodies such as international Amateur athletics federation (IAAF),International federation of football association(FIFA),National basketball association (NBA) e.t.c.
Lombardo(2012) argued that sports began as a way for man to develop the skills needed for primitive hunting and warfare; then develop to act primarily as a lek where athletes display and male evaluators or spectators evaluate the qualities of potential allies and rivals.
Ruminations about the origins and functions of sports have typically focused on the cultural components (Ashe,1998; Carroll,2008& Guttman,2004) . sports has always been manifestation of man’s skill in his culture and has been one of the ways man has survived in his harsh weather conditions and climate. In hunting and warfare ,despite their different focus on cultural hypothesis about the functions of sports concludes that sport likely had its origin as a way for men to develop and practice hunting skills (Caroll,2006).The relationship between hunting and sports includes chasing ,hitting targets with projectiles and stalking is clear. Because, primitive warfare used the same skills some have argued that training for wars the source of all sports (Chick,loy,Miracle1997;Loy& Iteseketh,1995&Sipies1973).
The characteristics of animal play suggests that sports likely originated as play. The play of juvenile mammals including human often mimics behaviours(example is capturing prey ,escaping from predators , fighting need for survival(fagen,1981).human play behaviours also mimic those used in many sports examples are running, chasing ,competitions ,throwing and intercepting projectiles.
The benefits of sport is seen in physical activity of play especially the rough and rumble play (RNT)characteristics of males(Dipietro,1981; Humphreys and Smith, 1998) while RNT provides physical practice for fighting and hunting(Smith 1982 & Symon,1978).It is also simultaneously allow juveniles to assess physical strength and skills of others( Smith 1982& Paquette 1994).Thus RNT can function as a means to develop and maintain leadership and dominance among groups (Waters & Sroufe,1983; Pellangia &Smith,1998). The assessment of others can also be achieved at low cost by observation.
The healthy people (2000)in their goals for the nation health have recognised the importance of physical activity and have included physical activity goals in lifestyle (The healthy people,2000).the bases of federal government nutrition related programmes included physical guidance to maintain and improve :-30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity on all or most ,days of the week(Dietary Guidelines for America ,1995)
The benefits of physical activity in human development and lifestyle have been extolled through out western history but it was not until the second half of this century that scientific evidence supporting these believe began to accumulate.
According to the WHO(2005) experience and scientific evidence shows that regular participation in appropriate physical activity and sport provides people of both sexes and all ages and conditions ,including persons with disabilities with a wide range off physical, social and mental health benefits .physical activity and sport support strategies to improve diet and discourage the use of tobacco , alcohol and drugs. As well, physical activity and sport help reduce , violence ,enhance functional capacity and promote social interaction and integration (WHO,2003).
A good physical health condition is important for every individual as it reduces illness risk and even death risk due to disease conditions. The good physical health condition is when the body is functioning as it was designed to function. These can be achieved by participating in sports regularly