Physical fitness knowledge, attitudes and exercise practices of commercial bank workers in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

In a cross-sectional survey of ten commercial banks in Lagos State, Nigeria, a 30-item self-report questionnaire was used to evaluate bank workers’ (n = 182) physical fitness knowledge, attitudes and exercise practices. Data analysis indicated that 170 (93.41%) bankers had a good knowledge of physical fitness, while 172 (94.50%) had positive attitudes towards being physically active. The majority (126; 69.33%) of the participants engaged in exercise activities once weekly, and also felt strongly that fitness training programmes are challenging (149; 81.87%). Results further showed a significant association (X2=16.31; p<0.05) between marital status and participants’ physical fitness knowledge. Despite being knowledgeable about physical fitness and having positive attitudes towards its health benefits, the participants generally had low levels of physical activity. The bank workers’ low physical activity particpation could be attributed to their difficulty to adhere to scheduled fitness programmes, especially when it interferes with workrelated commitments. Keywords: Physical fitness, knowledge, attitude, physical activity, bank workers.