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.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate selected chronic diseases patients with different educational attainment regarding their awareness of and compliance with recommended physical activity. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2018 to February 2019 in cooperation with chronic diseases clinics in eastern Slovakia. The study involved 893 patients. Results: People with higher education apparently recognise to a greater extent the importance of nutrition, diet, and the role of physical activity in treating their disease. Moreover, they have knowledge of physical exercises appropriate for their disease. Conversely, a noticeably higher number of less educated patients reported receiving general, respectively detailed information about the importance of physical activity in treating their disease. Differences in awareness of appropriate exercises and their implementation were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The results fail to prove educational attainment being a key determinant of chronic diseases. However, it can be reasonably argued that lower educational attainment may be a reliable risk signal of chronic diseases in later life.

Introduction: As indicated by the WHO, lifestyle plays a unique role in human health, which in turn is determined to a great extent by physical activity and nutrition. It must be borne in mind that physical activity should be systematic and regulated by an age-appropriate exercise intensity....

Wprowadzenie: Celem pracy było ukazanie zróżnicowania poziomu aktywności fizycznej studentek z państw wyszehradzkich (V4) w czterech obszarach tj. w pracy zawodowej/na uczelni, w przemieszczaniu się, w pracach domowych oraz sporcie w zależności od wskaźnika BMI, kierunku studiów, samooceny sprawności fizycznej i ilości posiadanego czasu wolnego. Materiał i metody: Badaniom poddano 1169 studentek z grupy państw V4: Czech, Słowacji, Węgier i Polski. W pracy zastosowano metodę sondażu diagnostycznego z wykorzystaniem Międzynarodowego Kwestionariusza Aktywności Fizycznej IPAQ - wersja długa. Wyniki: Studentki państw V4 charakteryzowały się umiarkowanym (47,5%) i wysokim (43,7%) poziomem aktywności fizycznej, a prozdrowotne rekomendacje WHO spełniło ponad 80% badanych. Wnioski: Analiza statystyczna wykazała istotne statystycznie zróżnicowanie w przypadku wskaźnika BMI, gdzie studentki z niedowagą (59,3%) uzyskały umiarkowany poziom aktywności fizycznej. Samoocena sprawności fizycznej studentek z państw V4 istotnie różnicowała ich poziom aktywności fizycznej we wszystkich analizowanych obszarach, a kierunek studiów oraz ilość posiadanego czasu wolnego nie różnicuje istotnie statystycznie poziomu aktywności fizycznej.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the physical activity level, nutritional behaviours, and body silhouette concern in 15–17-year-old boys and girls from Eastern European countries.Methods: The research, carried out in 2015, involved 2145 secondary school adolescents, including 877 boys and 1268 girls (mean = 16.5, SD = 2.0). The results of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Health Behaviours Questionnaire were analysed.Results: The questionnaire results allowed to conclude that boys were definitely more active than girls. A significant relationship between physical activity and the number of meals was found. Another significant relationship was observed between higher physical activity in boys who wanted to gain weight and in girls who wanted to lose weight.Conclusions: Both boys and girls have positive attitudes towards their health with regard to their level of physical activity, nutritional behaviours, and body silhouette concern. A significant relationship was found in the interrelationship among the features considered, with simultaneous gender differentiation.

Introduction. Physical activity is an indelible part of human life, but the impact of industrial changes on society has led to a hypokinetic lifestyle not only in adults but also in children and youth. This paper aims to present the results of a study of the body posture of 7-year-olds, which is an essential part of their physical development evaluation. The aim of our study was to expand our knowledge of the occurrence of body posture disorders in 7-year-olds, as well as to develop an appropriate movement programme which would help improve the current situation. Material and methods. The research sample consisted of 393 first-graders from 4 grammar schools in Kosice. We used muscle testing according to Janda and Tichy to obtain data on individual muscle weaknesses and postural deviations. Results. Our research confirmed the findings of several other researchers who had pointed out that muscle weaknesses and postural deviations can be observed already in preschoolers. Due to a lack of physical activity and movement, muscle weakness in preschool children results in more serious health issues at school age and later in adulthood. Conclusions. We managed to stabilise and even to correct the weaknesses we observed by implementing a movement programme focusing on the diagnosed muscle weakness.