COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON MAXIMAL OXYGEN UPTAKE OF HAUSA, IGBO AND YORUBA ETHNIC GROUPS RESIDING IN OGBOMOSO, OYO STATE

ABSTRACT The main aim of this study was to determine the comparative effect of exercise on maximal oxygen uptake of the Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa ethnic groups. 30 subjects were used for this study comprising 10 young male adults of Yoruba ethnic group ,10 young male adults of Hausa ethnic group and 10 young male adults from the Igbo ethnic group. Upon arrival of the subjects in the sport physiology laboratory they were allowed to rest for ten minutes so that their heart rate and blood pressure could come back to normal resting level. Following this, their heart rate, blood pressure, age, height, weight was measured and recorded. Maximal oxygen uptake test was conducted for Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa ethnic groups using the following formula (111.33-(0.42*HR). The 30 subjects were subjected to eight weeks of exercise training program, three times a week for duration of 1hour of exercise per session for eight weeks. At the end of the eight weeks training program all the subjects were re-assembled in the laboratory and post-test similar to pre-test was conducted. The result of the test was used to determine whether there was significant difference in the maximal oxygen uptake of Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa ethnic groups. The study revealed that there was a greater increase in Maximal oxygen uptake in Hausa ethnic group compared with that of Yoruba and Igbo ethnic groups. More research is needed in this area of study using greater number of subject exercising at an intensity of 70% MaxVO , three times a week for duration of about 6 months or more in order to allow for generalization of result.