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Abstract

Athletic performance connotes creative display of skills as demanded by each sport which makes it easier for the performer to participate with much efficiency and good reaction time, with less or no injury sustained on the process. It is generally believed that good performance is a pivot on which athletic achievement rotates. Children are in better position to perform convincingly well, but due to some logistics, the reverse seems to be the case. Factors such as nutrition, individual lifestyle and generally Obesity have been identified as the major causes of poor performance in athletic activities among children of school age in West Africa. Obesity in addition to its negative traits, also poses a significant stigma against the child in question, which invariably deters his/her interest and performance level at large. The hypothesis of the research was that obesity is not a factor militating against athletic performance among children in West Africa. The researcher however, tries to find out how obesity has worked against children�s interest and rate of athletic performance. The researcher used questionnaires distributed to 10 sports teachers, 2 nutritionists and 100 students selected from six different schools, one school representing a region out of the six educational regions. Problems ranging from poor accessibility and finance were faced by the researcher in the process of carrying out this research. Findings and recommendations were drawn to reflect possible ways of improvement.

Biography

Email: c.n.ohanyelu@gmail.com