PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, HEALTH CONDITION AND LIFESTYLE OF ACADEMIC YOUTH

Authors

  • Luba Jakubowska Division of Health Promotion, Department of Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences, Wrocław Medical University Bartla 5, 51-618 Wrocław, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0507-6595
  • Barbara Grabowska Division of Health Promotion, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wroclaw Medical University, Bartla 5, 51-618 Wroclaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7466-1280
  • Mariola Seń Division of Health Promotion, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wroclaw Medical University, Bartla 5, 51-618 Wroclaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6790-654X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs20192.201.215

Keywords:

Physical activity, lifestyle, health status, body mass index (BMI), academic youth.

Abstract

Introduction: Living in the age of modern inventions one forgets about one of the best medications for many health problems, which is physical activity. In 2016, Kantar Public (Ministry of Sport and Tourism, 2016) announced that only one in five Poles aged 15-69 had an adequate level of physical activity. A CBOS (Centre for Public Opinion Research) survey conducted in 2014 showed that half of Poles weigh too much. For the development of lifestyle diseases, besides overweight, the wrong lifestyle also contributes (CBOS No. 122/2014). According to the WOBASZ (a multi-center nationwide survey of the health status of the population) survey, only 3% of Polish society is characterized by "an indicator of a healthy lifestyle" (Kwaśniewska, Kaczmarczyk-Chałas, Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk, Kucharczyk, Drygas, 2010). The role and task of physical activity at an early age, as well as at any other stage of life, is very important in the prevention of civilization diseases, which is why it is crucial to monitor it.

Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the level of physical activity, state of health and the lifestyle of the academic youth.

Material and methods: The research was carried out among students from three universities in Wrocław (n = 629): University of Wrocław (UWr), Wrocław University of Science and Technology (PWr) and Wrocław Medical University (UM). The study used self-constructed questionnaires: physical activity questionnaire, health questionnaire, lifestyle questionnaire. The following statistical analyzes of the results were used: Shapiro-Wilk test, Pearson chi-square test independence, post-hoc test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation coefficient rank (Spearman) and Pearson's correlation coefficient. In the calculations, the package of computer programs STATISTICA v. 9.0 was used. Hypotheses verified at the level of p ≤0.05.

Results: Health was the highest-rated one of the studied factors. In addition, it was found that as much as 67.7% of students from all universities represent a very good level of lifestyle. 68.4% of the respondents were characterized by a very good health potential. Research has shown that the physical activity of students from Medical University is at a higher level than students of PWr and UWr. Among the demographic variables, gender turned out to be important (men perform physical activity more often than women, while BMI and place of origin did not affect the physical activity of students). Studies have confirmed the relationship between all major variables (physical activity, lifestyle and health). The increase in the level of physical activity is accompanied by an increase in the level of lifestyle. A positive correlation between lifestyle factor and health condition was also observed.

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Author Biographies

Luba Jakubowska, Division of Health Promotion, Department of Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences, Wrocław Medical University Bartla 5, 51-618 Wrocław, Poland

A psychologist and pedagogue. She specialises in methodology of research in social sciences. In the recent years she has devoted particular attention to research with the use of the Internet. She is the founder and the editor of the “e-methodology” journal. Furthermore, she is a member of editorial boards of 4 scientific journals, including 3 of international impact. The subjects to which L. Jakubowska pays particular attention are identity and image, and in the recent years she has conducted research into the significance of computer-mediated communication in self-presentation. Luba Jakubowska conducts methodology workshops, also in organisations outside Poland (Paris, Lviv). What is more, L. Jakubowska is the author of nearly 30 academic papers, coordinator and participant of educational and research projects, and the organiser and co-organiser of numerous academic conferences. She is the main organiser of the international academic conference “e-methodology”.

Barbara Grabowska, Division of Health Promotion, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wroclaw Medical University, Bartla 5, 51-618 Wroclaw, Poland

In 2006 she obtained a master's degree in physiotherapy at the University of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Faculty of Physiotherapy.

In 2013, she completed doctoral studies at the Medical University of Wroclaw, Faculty of Medicine, Postgraduate Education, Chair and Department of Social Medicine

In 2017, she received a PhD in medical sciences, specialization: social medicine at the Medical University of Wroclaw, Faculty of Health Sciences.

She is interested in topics related to physical activity, health promotion, Educational Kinesiology, hygiene and public health.

 

Mariola Seń, Division of Health Promotion, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wroclaw Medical University, Bartla 5, 51-618 Wroclaw, Poland

PhD in medical sciences in the area of social medicine. Graduate of the Faculty of Nursing of Academy of Medical Sciences in Wrocław as well as post-graduate studies of the Faculty of Polish Philology of the University of Wrocław in logopaedics. Currently, the acting head of the Department of Health Promotion in the Cathedral of Public Health in the Silesian Piast Academy of Medical Sciences in Wrocław. Since October 1st, 2009 an employee of the Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Cracow Academy in Cracow.

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Published

2019-09-02

How to Cite

Jakubowska, L., Grabowska, B., & Seń, M. (2019). PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, HEALTH CONDITION AND LIFESTYLE OF ACADEMIC YOUTH. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 10(2), 201–215. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs20192.201.215

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 2 (2019): Journal of Education Culture and Society

Section

DYNAMICS

License

CC-BY

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