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Table of Contents
Greener Journal of Educational Research
Vol. 15(1), pp. 150-155, 2025
ISSN: 2276-7789
Copyright ©2025, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.
https://gjournals.org/GJER
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15580/GJER.2025.1.070525111
1 Faculty of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Phone: 08037051361 2 Faculty of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Phone: 08033174789 3 Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Phone: 08036011204 4 Department of Physical and Health Education, Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Nigeria. Email: chorlimegeoffry@gmail.com | Phone: 08035926770 5 Department of General Studies, Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Nigeria Email: suwatkyae@gmail.com | Phone: 08069254036
Article No.: 070525111
Type: Research
Full Text: PDF, PHP, EPUB, MP3
DOI: 10.15580/GJER.2025.1.070525111
Accepted: 05/07/2025
Published: 28/07/2025
Sambo Suwatkya Emmanuel
E-mail: suwatkyae@gmail.com
Phone: 08069254036
Keywords: Moderate Intensity-Interval Training, Cardiovascular Health, Female Adolescents, Secondary Schools
The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of moderate intensity-interval training on cardiovascular variables of female adolescents in secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of the study, research questions and null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A repeated measure experimental design was used for the study that served as the experimental group. A purposive sampling technique was used to select forty (40) participants within the age range of 13–15 years old. The training intensity was maintained between 45% and 50% HRR on the selected cardiovascular variable. The training program consists of two sessions, four sets of four-minute run-walk sessions, and four sets of four-minute rest or relief interval repetitions within the sets for a total of forty-two minutes a session per week, and also on alternate days for a duration of twelve weeks. The participants were trained at 45% HRR at the baseline of the 3rd week of training and at 50% HRR from the 6th, 9th, and 12th weeks of training and at 65% HRR max from the 7th to the 9th weeks of the training period. The variable being measured was percent body fat. Descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation, and standard error were used to answer the research questions, while repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the null hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study revealed that the level of percent body fat obtained before the experiment was significantly different from the level obtained in the first week and second week of training (p < 0.05) of female secondary school adolescents involved in the study. Based on the findings, it was concluded that moderate-intensity interval training significantly increased percent body fat among female adolescents in secondary schools. It was recommended that exercise scientists should ensure that regular workshops and seminars be organised for physical educators and coaches in secondary schools on a concise programme of moderate intensity-interval training, which is aerobic in nature, to reduce accumulation of body fat, metabolic rate syndrome, and cardiovascular health challenges among adolescents in secondary schools to maintain sound health and fitness levels for vigorous physical activities.
Over the years, it has been observed that participation in physical activities enhances individual health and fitness. Participation in various forms of exercise has been known to contribute to individual wellbeing since ancient times, thereby reducing some health challenges that could result from cardiovascular insufficiencies. To reduce possible health challenges, it is important that body conditioning activities be emphasized at an early stage in life, especially among secondary school adolescents and youths. Low level of aerobic physical fitness is an inevitable consequence of physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles that some experts viewed it to be the most important public health problem of this 21stcentury. Low level of physical fitness is associated with several health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, overweight, obesity, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, pulmonary disease and cancer, pathophysiological conditions (Heyward and Gibson, 2014). Low level of aerobic fitness has also been reported to be associated with a markedly increased risk of premature death (First beat Technology, 2014). Improvement in aerobic fitness reduces all-cause mortality. Aerobic fitness is related to a person’s ability to perform dynamic, moderate to high intensity physical activity with large muscle group for prolonged period (Kaminsky, Arena, Reckie, Brubaker, Church and Forman, Franklin, B. A., Gulati, M., Larie, C. J., Myers, J., Patel, M. J., Pinna, I. L., Weintraub, W. S. and Williams, M. A., 2013).
The percent body fat of female adolescents between the ages of 13 is between 12 % and 22 %, and between 12 % and 21 %, respectively, while that of boys between the ages of 14 years old lags between 11 % and 20 % and between 10 % and 20 % and in boys between the ages of 16-17 years the body fat is between 10 % and 19 % (Ravusim, 2014).
Moderate intensity-interval training is one of the most important methods of training aimed at improving individual cardiovascular system, which is one of the components of health-related fitness demanded of all adolescents (Matte, 2017). Moderate intensity-interval training can easily be modified to suit individuals of all fitness levels and special conditions such as overweight and diabetes. The work out could be performed on all exercise. Moderate intensity-interval training is used to describe protocol, which the training stimulus is near maximal 0.1 and the target intensity is between 80-100 % of maximal heart rate (Talanian, 2015).
Percent body fat is defined as the ratio of fat mass to fat-free mass or weight. It is often the percentage of the total body that is composed of fat. Fat-free mass refers to all body tissues that are not fat; the body tissues that are not fat include the bones, muscles, organs and connective tissues. The percentage of body total fat that is composed of fat, at free mass is all the tissues that are not composed of fat. The tissues include bones, organs and connective tissues. The number of fat cells becomes fixed early in life. Maintenance of low body fat content during early period of development will minimize the total number of fat cells that develop greatly, thereby reducing the likelihood of obesity in adolescents as in adults. Wildman and Miller (2014) reported recent evidence that suggests that as fat accumulates in the body, the existing cells continue to fill with fat to a certain critical volume. Once these cells are filled to this point, new fat cells are formed. Research evidence points to obesity as being as separate and independent risk factor for CHD and one directly tied to two of the major risk factors.
Statement of the Problem
The researcher observed that sports faced a great setback in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau state as a result of low involvement of adolescents in sporting activities particularly in secondary schools. Pankshin, a Local Government located in the central part of Plateau State, is endowed with elevated altitudes, cold atmosphere and good topography for sporting activities. The terrain is naturally good for grassroots sporting activities, especially for youths and adolescents. The area provides a good ground for sports development and bodies conditioning, as such, most athletes were usually being trained for both national and international competitions. Today, this natural atmosphere is not properly utilized by the youths and adolescents for the benefits of health and fitness.
The female adolescent body shapes will begin to change not only in height and weight, but the hips may get wider as well as the continuous increase fat in the buttocks, legs and stomach. These are normal changes that occur during adolescence in females if a sedentary lifestyle is maintained for too long. The adolescence years bring many changes – not only physically, but also mentally and socially. Female adolescents are more prone to have excess body fat, poor aerobic fitness, decreasing resting metabolic rate, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Many of these changes may have implications for both present and future health and development, as they affect their future ability to develop their full potential.
There are scanty research works on the effect of moderate intensity-interval training on cardio-vascular variables of female adolescents in secondary schools. Therefore, this creates a knowledge gap that further investigation is needed to identify the effect of moderate intensity-interval training on percent body fat, of female adolescents in secondary schools. It is in the light of the above, this study will investigate the effect of moderate intensity-interval training on cardiovascular variables of female adolescents in secondary schools in Pankshin, Plateau State and to ascertain the effect of 12 week programme of moderate intensity-interval training that alternates between moderate intensity work and rest period would significantly improve percent body fat of female adolescents in secondary schools. .
Research Question
Hypothesis
A repeated-measure experimental research design was used for this study to determine the periods which the effect of the training started manifesting on the participants during the assessments. With this design, training will be conducted in one environment. Five different level of assessment was taken at baseline and immediately after the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th week of training in the same environment. The assessment was conducted at Government Secondary School, Pankshin sport ground. The population consisted of secondary school female adolescents in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State, who are within the ages of 13 and 15 years old in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State. Pankshin LGA has an estimated population of five thousand, one hundred and ninety-one (5,191) female adolescents in sixty-two (62) secondary schools both public and private in the Local Government Area, as at year 2023 (Ministry of Education, Directorate Office, Pankshin, 2023). The sample size for this study consisted forty (40) female adolescents were drawn from JSS2 to SS1 in secondary schools within the age range of 13-15 years old in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State Nigeria. All the participants were secondary school female adolescents as at the time of conducting this study. The sample schools are GSS Pankshin, GSS Bet, Langkuk Memorial Comprehensive Secondary School, Trinity Missionary College, St. Helen Seminary College, Pankshin, Tungcep Academy Pankshin, Holy Cross Day Secondary School and Bwarak Community Secondary School Pankshin. A purposive simple random sampling technique of identifying the female adolescents in secondary schools within the age range of between 13-15 years old only was used to sample the experimental group. The researcher sorted out their files to cross check their medical reports to ascertain their health status. Those with any medical challenge were advised not to participate in the exercise. The researcher also employed the use of lottery with pieces of papers written ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ placed in a bucket and thoroughly shaken and shuffled for the individuals to pick. Those that picked ‘Yes’ were used as participants in the training as the sample size, while those who picked ‘No’ were discarded. After being briefed about the purpose of the research and the benefits that may accrue from the training by the researchers, 40 of the female adolescents in secondary schools volunteered to participate in the training as they made up with the inclusion criteria. The following research instruments were used in order to collect the desired data and information for this study: whistle Fox 40 Model made in Canada, a digital stopwatch (ENCOKK-5853, made in China), record sheets and biro. 4 minutes interval run/walk test was designed and administered to the participants in order to determine their aerobic fitness level and to be able to predict and estimate the participant’s percent body fat. A 400 metre track with marked lanes was constructed. The researcher drew a starting line across the lanes for the participants to assemble behind it at the start of the runs. A number tag was placed on each participant for identification. A cone was placed at a distance of 100 metre intervals on the lanes so that the number of laps covered by each participant in 4 minutes can easily be counted by the research assistants. All the participants run/walk for 4 minutes and rest for 4 minutes in each set, numbering of minutes each sets covered in 4 minutes were recorded against each participant. Walking was allowed to the participants during the exercise, though the participants were advised and encourage to try their best in order to maximize their performance by increasing the distance. All the participants were asked to warm up for 5 minutes after which they were asked to take their lanes and on the command “Ready” and “Go”. The researcher immediately starts the stop watch as the participants start running. The tester always stopped the runs at the end of each 4 minutes runs; the tester blew the whistle to stop all the participants from running. The participants started rest interval for 4 minutes at the end of 4 minutes rest interval, the run again commenced for another 4 minutes, this was done 4 times in a set for the three days of the training sessions in a week. This was used to estimate the V02max of each of the participants. The data collected was computed and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20. BM). A descriptive statistics was employed to be able to ascertain the central tendency and variability that exist in the data collected by computing the (mean, standard deviation and standard error of the mean) to know the effect of moderate intensity-interval training on cardio-vascular system variables after the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12 weeks of training and identify the main physiological changes that was achieved after the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th week of aerobic training that will be computed as training effects after moderate intensity interval on the percent body fat, of female adolescents. A repeated-measure analysis of variance was employed to determine the significant effects of moderate intensity-interval training on the selected cardio-vascular variable and a Scheffe post hoc Test was also used to locate where the significant difference existed.
Table 4.1 shows a descriptive analysis of the subjects selected variable, which included age, height, weight, muscular and body mass index (BMI), measured at the onset of the experiment at week 0 through the duration and terminated at Week 4. The table showed the mean measurement and standard deviation (Mean ± S.D) at each week.
The repeated measure analysis of variance was used to compare the weekly means of the percent body fat of the female adolescents involved in the study to determine the extent of effect of the moderate intensity-interval training over the duration of the experiment. The summary of the repeated measure analysis of variance for tests of within-subjects effects obtained for the test is summarized in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1: Repeated measure analysis of variance on percent body fat of female adolescents subjected to moderate intensity-interval training by weeks of training periods in Pankshin LGA.
(F-critical = 2.45, p < 0.05)
Table 4.2 revealed that the effect of the moderate intensity-interval training was significant on percent body fat of the female adolescents involved in the study. The observed F-value for the test was 10.106 obtained at 4, 96, degree of freedom (df) for assuming the groups in the training periods to be homogenous is higher than the critical value of 2.45 and the observed probability level of significance of was 0.000 (p < 0.05).
The result obtained on percent body fat of female adolescents in secondary schools in Pankshin LGA, Plateau State when moderate intensity-interval training was used was not significantly different after the Post Hoc test in the 6th, 9th and 12th weeks of training. This could be due to appetite created by exercise resulting in increased food consumption in the participants.
The Greenhouse-Geisser and Huynh-Feldt adjustment for Sphericity all showed significance effects of the training on the percent body fat of the female secondary school adolescents. The p-value observed was 0.000 (p < 0.05). From these observations, there is enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis that, there is no significant effect of moderate intensity-interval training on percent body fat of female adolescents in Pankshin LGA, Plateau State. The mean scores for the variable by observations were earlier presented in Table 4.1. The post hoc test conduct on the mean scores using Scheffe procedure to determine the tested level that was significantly different from the others is summarized in Table 4.8.
Table 4.2: Scheffe procedure on mean percent body fat of subjects by weeks of training
Week 3
The result in Table 4.2 revealed that the level of percent body fat obtained before the experiment was significantly different from the level obtained in the first week and second week of training (p < 0.05). Between the level obtained after the first week of training and the second, third and fourth week of training.
Between the mean percent body fat (P<0.05) obtained during the 6th, 9th and 12th weeks of training was significantly different. The mean percent body fat for the 6th, 9th and 12th weeks of training was significantly different. This implies that the null hypothesis ]that states that there is no significant effect of moderate intensity interval training on percent body fat of female adolescents in secondary schools in Pankshin, Plateau State was rejected because the outcome of the test was significant.
Findings of this study revealed significant effect of moderate intensity-interval training on percent body fat of the female adolescents in secondary school exposed to the training. The finding revealed that the level of percent body fat obtained before the experiment was significantly decreased from the level obtained in the baseline and 4th week of training. Between the level obtained after the first week of training and 6th, 9th and 12th weeks of training, the variability obtained was not found to be significant. Between the mean levels obtained in the third and fourth week of training, there was no significant difference. The finding of this study is consistent with the report of Agata and Monyeki, (2018) who stated that lower performance on physical fitness test and higher percentage of fat mass forms serious problems for the health of the adolescent population because in recent years there has been a decline in physical capacities mainly affecting strength and cardiorespiratory capacity as well as increase number of diseases related to poor nutrition and accumulation of fat mass. The finding here supported the findings of Heyward (2014) who reported that percent body fat was found to decrease significantly with various training programs of various intensities.
From the findings of the investigation into effects of moderate intensity-interval training on cardiovascular variables of secondary school female adolescents in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria, the researcher wishes to conclude as follows:
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made:
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Dikki, CE; Gwani, JA; Ayo, JO; Chorlime, IGJ; Sambo, SE (2025). Effect of Moderate Intensity-Interval Training on Cardiovascular Variables of Secondary School Female Adolescents in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. Greener Journal of Educational Research, 15(1): 150-155, https://doi.org/10.15580/GJER.2025.1.070525111.
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