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Using Emerging Technologies to Promote Physical Activity: The Perspective of University Students in Ghana


Mr. Emmanuel Aboagye
Mr. Ishmael Owen Opoku
Dr Samuel Richard Marcourt
Mr. Kouassi Junior Tano

Abstract

Despite research advocating the importance of developing and testing new interventions to promote physical activity in emerging adults, such literature is extinct among Ghanaian university students. This study examined the potential of emerging technologies in promoting physical activity among such populations in Ghana. Using semi-structured interviews, we conveniently examined the perspectives of 22 students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to determine how emerging technologies can promote physical activities and the challenges of using them. The results showed that the students are aware of the existence of some of these technologies. The following themes emerged from the study on the benefits of using emerging technologies to promote physical activities; promote motivation and engagement, personalised coaching and feedback and social support. Further, the results revealed challenges such as cost, over-dependency on technology, and technical issues which are mainly connected with network issues. Based on the findings we recommend that fitness enthusiasts should educatestudents on how to use some of the technological devices to promote their physicality. Further, we proposed cost-effective techniques such as the use of calisthenic activities to promote physical activity and health among university students to reduce costs.


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 3057-3629
print ISSN: 0855-0395