Level of physical activity of students in Poland, Portugal and Belarus

The WHO term 'physical activity' refers to all body movements produced by skeletal muscles which require energy expenditure. The ways to be active include daily activities, exertion in the performance of work, or active recreation. The objective of the study is to compare physical activity of the students of Bialystok University of Technology, Higher School of Physical Education and Tourism in Biaystok (Poland), University of Beira Interior in Covilha (Portugal) and Janka Kupala Grodno State University in Grodno (Belarus).

A total of 1,136 persons participated in the study (398 men and 738 women). The level of physical activity of the students was assessed on the basis of a short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The individual value of the body mass index (BMI) was calculated for each respondent.

Among men studying at WSWFiTB, in Portugal and Belarus, the dominant level of activity was high. Both in the group of men and women, people studying in Portugal spent the most time sitting during one working day. Without taking into account the gender of the respondents, a high level was the dominant among students of WSWFiTB, in Portugal and Belarus. With regard to overweight and obese people, the highest average amount of energy expenditure was recorded in the case of intensive activity.

Men, compared to women, were characterized by a higher average amount of energy consumption related to total activity and intensive exercise. Students in Belarus obtained the highest average amount of energy expenditure related to moderate and intensive activity, compared to students at BUT, WSWFiTB and in Portugal. A high level of activity dominated both in the group of underweight/normal body weight, as well as overweight and obese persons.