CSEC SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT

The Effects of Exercise on the Fitness and Health of Students

Candidate Names: Adeola Gill

Candidate Number: 0500060096

Centre Name: St. George’s Episcopal Anglican School, Secondary Division

Centre Number: 050006

Instructor: Mrs. Althea Peters

Examination Period: May-June 2025

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….… 1

Statement Of Problem ……………………………………………………………………... 2

Research Of Objectives ………………………………………………………...…………… 3

Methodology ………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Presentation Of Data ………………………………………………………………………5-7

Analysis Of Data ……………………………………………………….…………………… 8

Conclusion ………………………………………………………………..………………….. 9

Recommendation …………………………………………………………………………… 10

Reflection …………………………………………………………………………………… 11

Appendix ……………………………………………………………………………….…12-15

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….16
 Introduction

Physical exercise is recognised as an important part of living a healthy lifestyle, but its effects on

students' fitness and health are often underappreciated. Regular physical activity is related to a

range of physical and mental benefits. For students, exercise doesn’t just improve fitness; it can

also boost brain function, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. This school-based

assessment will explore how consistent exercise affects both physical health, for example, your

sleep, stamina, and strength, as well as mental health, including reducing stress and improving

mood. By looking at these connections, this research aims to prove the lack of exercise

negatively impacts the fitness of non-athletes at St. George Secondary School.

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Statement of Problem

Does the lack of exercise negatively impact the fitness of non-athletes?

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 Research Objectives

●​ To determine how the lack of exercise affects the fitness of non-athletes

●​ To determine how exercise influences the fitness of athletes

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 Methodology

The researchers used a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. A questionnaire is a series

of digital or paper-based questions used to gather data for statistical analysis. It was chosen

because it is a simple, fast, and convenient way of collecting data from many people at one time.

All of the 13 questions were designed as multiple choice, and all of them were directed towards

understanding the causes and effects of the problem and what can be done to solve it. It was

provided to children between 12 and 18 years, and individual responses from participants in this

age group were obtained. A target of at least 50 responses was set, and a total of 54 responses

were successfully gathered, which provided valuable data for analysis.

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 Presentation of Data

Figure 1: A graph showing the physical exercise students engage in most often

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 Figure 2: A Pie graph showing students' views on their overall fitness

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Figure 3: A line graph displaying changes noticed from exercising

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 Analysis of Data

Figure 1​

According to the data, most students (29.6%) believe that walking or jogging is the most exercise

activity at St. George’s Secondary School. The second most popular activity is playing sports,

chosen by 25.9% of students. Additionally, 16% of students selected "other" as their response,

while 11.1% chose swimming. Dancing was picked by 9.3% of students, and the least common

activity was cycling, with only 7.4% selecting it. This shows that walking and jogging are the

most popular forms of exercise among students.

Figure 2​

The data shows that most students (40.7%) rate their physical fitness as "average." The second

picked option was rated "good," chosen by 33.3% of students. Meanwhile, 18.5% of students

rated their fitness level as "poor," and only 7.4% described it as "perfect." This suggests that

most students believe their physical fitness is neither very high nor very low, but somewhere in

the middle.

Figure 3​

When asked about the benefits of exercise, 48.1% of students said they experienced an

improvement in muscle strength. Another 31.5% also mentioned muscle strength, while 29.6%

focused on weight management. Additionally, 27.8% of students said they experienced better

sleep. Fewer students identified flexibility (22.2%) and improved mental health or mood (20.4%)

as benefits. The least chosen response was "other," with 18.5% selecting this option. This

suggests that most students believe exercise has helped them improve their muscle strength.

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 Conclusion

In conclusion, not exercising regularly does affect fitness. People who rarely worked out rated

their fitness as poor or just average, showing how a lack of activity can lower fitness levels. On

the other hand, those who exercised often, especially athletes, rated their fitness as good or even

perfect. This proves that staying active and working out helps improve strength, endurance, and

overall health. So, if someone wants to be fit, regular exercise is the way to go.

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 Recommendation

Enhance the amount of exercise students do weekly: schools should prioritise physical

education. For example, scheduling PE on Monday and Wednesday mornings and incorporating

10-minute stretching sessions after long class periods, such as doubles, can help incorporate

physical activity into students' routines.

Providing sports that children will be interested in: expanding sports options to include

activities students are more passionate about could get them more into participating While

basketball, soccer, and volleyball are currently offered, introducing sports like tennis, track,

baseball, and even dance could make exercise more enjoyable as a hobby or club activity.

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 Reflection

Researching whether “a lack of exercise negatively affects the fitness of non-athletes” was

perceptive; the results confirmed many students who exercised infrequently rated their fitness as

"good" or below, along with reporting a limited number of health benefits. Nevertheless, some

people maintained remarkably high fitness levels even without any exercise at all, and exercise

sometimes improved mental well-being by greatly reducing stress. The absolute least active

group was younger students (ages 14–16). This was quite surprising.

Applying this lesson, I plan to explore different exercises to stay active for improved mental and

physical health. The inclusion of several interviews might have made the project better,

permitting more deeper understanding.

From a social view, lower activity levels often cause reduced student engagement, and from an

economic view, poor fitness habits might create higher future healthcare costs for families and

the community.

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 Appendix

What is your gender?

​ Male

​ Female

How old are you?

​ 11-13
​ 14-16
​ 17-18

What form are you in?

​ Form 1

​ Form 2

​ Form 3

​ Form 4

​ Form 5

What type of physical exercise do you engage in most often?*

​ Walking/jogging

​ Cycling

​ Playing sports

​ Swimming

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 ​ Dancing

​ Other

How long do you usually exercise in a single session*

​ 5 - 10 minutes

​ 15 - 20 minutes

​ 25 - 30 minutes

​ 30+ minutes

How often do you excercise?

​ 1-2 times a week

​ 3-4 times a week

​ None at all

How would you rate your overall fitness?*

​ Perfect

​ Good

​ Average

​ Poor

Do you believe that regular exercise has a positive impact on your overall health?*

​ Yes

​ No

Why do you excercise?

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 ​ To promote good health

​ I want to keep fit

​ I enjoy it

​ I do not excercise

What changes have you noticed? Check all that apply.*

​ Weight management

​ Muscle strength

​ Flexibility

​ Endurance and strength

​ Better sleep

​ Improved mental health and mood

​ Other

do you feel more energize after exercising *

​ Always

​ Sometimes

​ Rarely

​ Never

Have you noticed any changes in your stress levels due to exercise?*

​ i feel less stress

​ no change in stress levels

​ sometimes exercise increases my stress levels

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Do you find it easier to focus on your studies after exercising?*

​ Yes

​ No

​ Sometimes

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 Bibliography

●​ Books: Fosbery, Richard, Givens, Peter, and Hunte, Pamela. Human and Social

Biology for CSEC. Oxford University Press, 12 Feb. 2015.

●​ Keane, Brian. The Fitness Mindset. Originally published 26 June 2017.

●​ Youngs, Jennifer. Health & Fitness for Teens. Burres Books, 1 July 2014.

●​ Online Articles: "Impact of Physical Activity on Health and Fitness." South African

Journal of Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, vol. 41, no. 1, 2019,

pp. 57-69. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajrs/article/view/185478.

●​ "Fitness and Mental Health: A Review." SpringerLink, 2021.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13721-021-00291-w.

●​ "Health Benefits of Physical Activity in Adolescents." Pan American Journal of Public

Health, vol. 32, no. 1, 2012, pp. 62-69.

https://www.scielosp.org/pdf/rpsp/2012.v32n1/62-69/en.

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