Background: Examining the level of physical activity in students is a vital issue as these young people are the future social elite. Methods: The research was conducted in the years 2013⁻2016 and comprised 5008 males and females, mean age of 20.5 ± 2.1 years, including 2237 (55.3%) students from students from Eastern European National University, Lutsk, and Ternopil State Medical University, Ukraine, as well as 2237 (44.7%) from the Visegrad countries, i.e., University of Pécs in Hungary, University in Kosice, Slovakia, University of Olomunec in the Czech Republic and the State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska, Poland. It applied a diagnostic survey-the extended version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), supplemented with original questions regarding body weight, height, self-assessment of physical fitness and amount of leisure time. Results: The comparison of students' PA from selected European countries, members of the Visegrad group and Ukraine, is particularly vital to the latter country as it demonstrates a different level of socio-economic development. There was noted a significantly higher level of physical activity in students from the Visegrad countries than in Ukraine. Further, there was an overall lower level of physical activity in females compared to males. What was positive about the studied samples was a healthy BMI index in the majority of the male and female respondents, with a significantly higher indicator in Ukraine. Conclusions: Among the factors significantly affecting higher physical activity in both researched samples were the BMI and high self-assessment of physical fitness. There was no significant variation in the level of physical activity and the amount of leisure time, both in those studying in the Visegrad states and Ukraine.

Department of Physical Rehabilitation Human Health and Physical Education 1 Horbachevsky Ternopil State Medical University 46001 Ternopil Ukraine

Faculty of Physical Culture Palacky University of Olomunec 771 47 Olomouc The Czech Republic

Institute of Physical Education and Health Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University 43025 Lutsk Ukraine

Institute of Physiotherapy and Sport Science University of Pécs H 7623 Pécs Hungary

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Kosice Institute of Physical Education and Sport 041 80 Košice Slovak

Pope John Paul 2 State School of Higher Education 21 500 Biala Podlaska Poland

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Bellew B. Physical activity vs. Noncommunicable diseases [NCDs]: An assessment of Global, Regional and National context for physical activity policy development, implementation and evaluation. J. Sci. Med. Sport. 2014;18:6–12. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.11.023. DOI

Cavill N., Biddle S., Sallis J.F. Health enhancing physical activity for young people: Statement of the United Kingdom expert consensus conference. Pediatr. Exerc. Sci. 2001;13:12–25. doi: 10.1123/pes.13.1.12. DOI

De Cocer K., Cardon E., De Bourdeaudhui I. Pedometer-determined physical activity and its comparison with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in a sample of Belgian adults. Res. Q. Exerc. Sport RQES. 2007;78:429–437. doi: 10.5641/193250307X13082505158615. PubMed DOI

Hayman L., Williams C.L., Daniels S.R., Steinberger J., Paridon S., Dennison B.A., Crindle B.W., Committee on Atherosclerosis, Hypertension, and Obesity in Youth (AHOY) of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association Cardiovascular health promotion in the schools: A statement for health and education professionals and child health advocates from the Committee on Atherosclerosis, Hypertension, and Obesity in Youth (AHOY) of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association. Circulation. 2004;110:2266–2275. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000141117.85384.64. PubMed DOI

Twisk J.W.R., Kemper H.C., Van Mechelen V. Tracking of activity and fitness and the relationship with cardiovascular disease risk factors. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2000;32:1455–1461. doi: 10.1097/00005768-200008000-00014. PubMed DOI

European Commission . EU Physical Activity Guidelines. European Commission; Brussels, Belgium: 2008.

Neufer P.D., Bamman M.M., Muoio D.M., Bouchard C., Cooper D.M., Goodpaster B.H. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of physical activity-induced health benefits. Cell Metab. 2015;22:4–11. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.011. PubMed DOI

Riekert K.A., Ockene J.K., Pbert L. The Handbook of Health Behavior Change. Springer; New York, NY, USA: 2013. ISBN-13 978-0826199355.

World Health Organization . Global Status Report on Noncommunicable Diseases 2014. WHO; Geneva, Switzerland: 2014.

Varo J.J., Martinez-Gonzales M.A., De Irala-Estevez J., Kearney J., Gibney M., Martinez J.A. Distribution and determinants of sedentary lifestyles in the European Union. Int. J. Epidemiol. 2003;32:138–146. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyg116. PubMed DOI

U.S Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) Physical activity and health: A report of the Surgeon General. [(accessed on 13 March 2018)]; Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/index.htm.

Steptoe A., Wardle J. Health behaviour, risk awareness and emotional well-being in students from Eastern Europe and Western Europe. Soc. Sci. Med. 2001;53:1621–1630. doi: 10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00446-9. PubMed DOI

Hunt J., Eisenberg D. Mental health problems and help-seeking behavior among college students. J. Adolesc. Health. 2010;46:3–10. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.008. PubMed DOI

Kwan M.Y., Cairney J., Faulkner G.E., Pullenayegum E.E. Physical activity and other health-risk behaviors during the transition into early adulthood: A longitudinal cohort study. Am. J. Prev. Med. 2012;42:14–20. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.08.026. PubMed DOI

Bray S.R., Born H.A. Transition to university and vigorous physical activity: Implications for health and psychological well-being. J. Am. Coll. Health. 2004;52:181–188. doi: 10.3200/JACH.52.4.181-188. PubMed DOI

Crombie A.P., Ilich J.Z., Dutton G.R., Panton L.B., Abood D.A. The freshman weight gain phenomenon revisited. Nutr. Rev. 2009;67:83–94. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00143.x. PubMed DOI

Sigmundová D., El Ansari W., Sigmund E., Frömel K. Secular trends: A ten-year comparison of the amount and type of physical activity and inactivity of random samples of adolescents in the Czech Republic. BMC Public Health. 2011;26:731. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-731. PubMed DOI PMC

Hoyos I., Irazusta A., Gravina L., Gil S.M., Gil J., Irazusta J. Reduced cardiovascular risk is associated with aerobic fitness in university students. Eur. J. Sport Sci. 2011;11:87–94. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2010.487116. DOI

Sigmundova D., Sigmund E., Hamrik Z., Kalman M. Trends of overweight and obesity, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Czech schoolchildren: HBSC study. Eur. J. Public Health. 2014;24:210–215. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckt085. PubMed DOI PMC

Booth M. Assessment of physical activity: An international perspective. Res. Q. Exerc. Sport. 2000;71:114–120. doi: 10.1080/02701367.2000.11082794. PubMed DOI

Biernat E., Stupnicki R., Gajewski A.K. Międzynarodowy Kwestionariusz Aktywności Fizycznej (IPAQ)—Wersja polska (International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Polish Version) Wych Fiz Sport. 2007;51:47–54. (In Polish)

Deng H.B., Macfarlane D.J., Thomas G.N., Lao X.Q., Jiang C.Q., Cheng K.K., Lam T.H. Reliability and validity of the IPAQ-Chinese: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort study. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2008;40:303–307. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31815b0db5. PubMed DOI

Dinger M.K., Behrens T.K., Han J.L. Validity and reliability of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in college students. Am. J. Health Promot. 2006;37:337–343. doi: 10.1080/19325037.2006.10598924. DOI

Gauthier A.P., Lariviere M., Young N. Psychometric properties of the IPAQ: A validation study in a sample of northern Franco-Ontarians. J. Phys. Act. Health. 2009;6(Suppl. 1):54–60. doi: 10.1123/jpah.6.s1.s54. PubMed DOI

Roman-Vinas B., Serra-Majem L., Hagstromer M., Ribas-Barba L., Sjöström M., Segura-Cardona R. International Physical Activity Questionnaire: Reliability and validity in a Spanish population. Eur. J. Sport Sci. 2010;10:297–304. doi: 10.1080/17461390903426667. DOI

Lachat C.K., Verstraeten R., Khanh le N.B., Hagströmer M., Khan N.C., Van Ndo A., Dung N.Q., Kolsteren P.W. Validity of two physical activity questionnaires (IPAQ and PAQA) for Vietnamese adolescents in rural and urban areas. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 2008;5:37. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-5-37. PubMed DOI PMC

Bergier J., Begier B., Tsos A. Physical activity and eating habits among female students from Ukraine. Health Prob. Civiliz. 2015;2:5–12. doi: 10.5114/hpc.2015.57106. DOI

Pedišić Ž., Rakovac M., Bennie J., Jurakić D., Bauman A.E. Levels and correlates of domain-specific physical activity in university students: Cross-sectional findings from Croatia. Kinesiology. 2014;46:12–22.

Soguksu K. Physical activity level between Polish and Turkish university students (IPAQ) In: Bergier B., editor. Physical Activity in Health and Disease. Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska; Biała Podlaska, Poland: 2011. pp. 19–27.

Dubray A., Bergier J., Gładysz I. Role of physical activity in the lifestyle of French nurses. Health Prob. Civiliz. 2017;11:253–260. doi: 10.5114/hpc.2017.72362. DOI

Biernat E. Aktywność Fizyczna Mieszkańców Warszawy: Na Przykładzie Wybranych Grup Zawodowych. Szkoła Główna Handlowa; Warsaw, Poland: 2011.

Mynarski W., Rozpara M., Królikowska B., Puciato D., Graczykowska B. Jakościowe i Ilościowe Aspekty Aktywności Fizycznej. Oficyna Wydawnicza PO; Opole, Poland: 2012.

Bergier J., Kapka-Skrzypczak L., Bilinski P., Paprzycki P., Wojtyła A. Physical activity of Polish adolescents and young adults according to IPAQ: A population based study. Ann. Agric. Environ. Med. 2012;19:109–115. PubMed

Pengpid S., Peltzer K. Physical inactivity and associated factors among university students in South Africa. AJPHERD. 2013;19:143–153.

Padmapriya K., Krishna P., Rasu T. Prevalence and patterns of physical activity among medical students in Bangalore, India. Electron. Physician. 2013;5:606–610. PubMed PMC

Bloemhoff H.J. Gender- and race-related physical activity levels of South African university students. AJPHES. 2010;16:25–35. doi: 10.4314/ajpherd.v16i4.64253. DOI

Popovych D.V., Bergier J., Sopel O.M., Tsybulska L.S., Korda M.M. Physical activity levels in female students of Ternopil State Medical University. IJMMR. 2016;2:37–41. doi: 10.11603/ijmmr.2413-6077.2016.2.7032. DOI

Dąbrowska-Galas M., Plinta R., Dąbrowska J., Skrzypulec-Plinta V. Physical activity in students of the Medical University of Silesia in Poland. Phys. Ther. 2013;93:384–392. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20120065. PubMed DOI

Stępień E., Bergier B., Bergier J., Niźnikowska E. Zależność między poziomem aktywności fizycznej studentów PSW w Białej Podlaskiej a kierunkiem ich studiów. Pol. J. Sport Med. 2014;30:189–198.

Zhao G., Ford E.S., Li C., Balluz L.S. Physical activity in U.S. older adults with diabetes mellitus: Prevalence and correlates of meeting physical activity recommendations. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2011;59:132–137. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03236.x. PubMed DOI

Troiano R.P., Berrigan D., Dodd K.W., Mâsse L.C., Tilert T., McDowell M. Physical activity in the United States measured by accelerometer. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2008;40:181–188. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31815a51b3. PubMed DOI

Guedes D.P., Gonçalves L.A. Impact of the habitual physical activity on lipid profile in adults. Arq. Bras. Endocrinol. Metabol. 2007;51:72–78. doi: 10.1590/S0004-27302007000100012. PubMed DOI

Hoffmann K., Bryl W., Marcinkowski J.T., Strażyńska A., Pupek-Musialik D. Estimation of physical activity and prevalence of excessive body mass in rural and urban Polish adolescents. Ann. Agric. Environ Med. 2011;18:398–403. PubMed

Hopping B.N., Erber E., Mead E., Roache C., Sharma S. High levels of physical activity and obesity co-exist amongst Inuit adults in Arctic Canada. J. Hum. Nur. Diet. 2010;23:110–114. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-277X.2010.01096.x. PubMed DOI

Comparison of the level of physical activity after the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic

Investigating the knowledge of and public attitudes towards genetic testing within the Visegrad countries: a cross-sectional study