PhD, Associate Professor L.G. Pashchenko¹
PhD, Associate Professor О.S. Krasnikova^1
1Nizhnevartovsk State University, Nizhnevartovsk

Keywords: young males, health index, morphofunctional indices.

Introduction. In modern conditions, a higher educational institution is called to organize targeted work on preservation and promotion of health of students, improvement of their functional capabilities and physical fitness, thus, making them more prepared for future professional activity. It is not only the professionally applied orientation of physical education lessons that becomes increasingly important, but also stimulation of students’ motor activity [1, p. 90].

Man’s psychophysiological preparedness for social and professional activity improves owing to his ability and readiness for self-development and self-improvement of kinesiological potential, which involves psychomotor development, degree of manifestation of physical qualities, motor skills, and health status [2, 3].

Motor activity, being an integral part of student’s productive living, makes it possible to completely solve the tasks of physical education, assuring his physical and psychological wellbeing [4, p. 172]. Albeit a large number of studies showing a positive impact of motor activity on all aspects of human life, the question of the necessary amount of motor load for university students is still pending. In this connection, additional studies in this field are obviously required.

Objective of the study was to analyse physical health indices in young males with different levels of motor activity, studying at the university.

Methods and structure of the study. The research was conducted at the premises of the Laboratory of Sports and Health Technologies of FSBEI HE Nizhnevartovsk State University. The study involved the 1st-3rd-year students (n=106) including: 1) sporting young males with a sports category not lower than I senior degree (n=21), with the volume of motor activity of more than 8 hours per week; 2) students engaged in a certain kind of sport and health activity in addition to the compulsory Physical Education classes (n = 49), with the volume of motor activity of 6 to 8 hours per week; 3) young males, whose motor regime was limited to the compulsory Physical Education classes (n = 36), with the volume of motor activity of 2 to 4 hours per week. All subjects were assigned to the main health group due to health conditions. Their morphofunctional status was assessed using such indices as: body mass index (BMI), birth-death ratio (BDR), Tiffeneau index. Their health level (HL) was determined by G.L. Apanasenko’s health rating method. The external respiration system functionality was tested by the microprocessor-based spirometer SMP-21/01-R-D. The results of the study were processed using the mathematical methods of statistics.

Results and discussion. Having calculated the health index in young males by Apanasenko, we found that 32% of the surveyed students had low HL, 32% - below average, 30% - average and 6% - above average. High HL was not detected. Fig. 1 illustrates the results of the differentiated analysis of the health levels of young males with different volume of weekly motor activity (MA).

Fig. 1. Health level in students with different volume of MA

The highest values of this index were registered in sporting students (t=5.67, p<0.001), the lowest - in young males attending only compulsory Physical Education classes. Upon differentiation of the students attending extra-curricular recreational Physical Education classes into two groups – with the high (students with above average and average health levels by Apanasenko) and low (students with low and below average) health levels, it turned out that the average health index in the first group did not differ significantly from that in student-athletes (t=-0.35, p>0.05), and in the second group - from that in young males with limited to compulsory Physical Education classes motor regime (t=-1.28, p>0.05); moreover, the differences between the groups were statistically significant (t=9.62, p<0.001).

The earlier study had shown that the anthropometric and somatotypological characteristics of the surveyed students did not differ significantly from those in young males living in other regions of Russia [6].

Having evaluated the morphofunctional status of the body of the young males from the selected groups (Table 1), we found no statistically significant differences in the values of Tiffeneau index characterizing bronchial patency. At the same time, conspicuous is the fact that in the group of student-athletes this index was below average. The data obtained confirm the results of the studies by O.L. Nifontova et al. [5], who has detected respiratory disturbances in the athletes training under low temperature conditions.

Table 1. Morphofunctional indices in young males

BMI in the students with the high health level engaged in recreational Physical Education classes was lower than in other groups and differed significantly from that in athletes (t=2.69, p<0.05), and young males with increased volume of motor activity, yet low health level (t=-2.94, p<0.01). The birth-death ratio indices were significantly higher in student-athletes (t=4.20, p<0.001 and t=3.09, p<0.01) and young males with the high HL from among those engaged in recreational Physical Education classes (t=4.48, p<0.001 and t=3.37, p<0.01), as opposed to their peers with the low HL, as well as with the low volume of motor activity.

Fig.2. Recovery time of young males after functional test

As seen in Fig. 2, it takes student-athletes significantly faster to recover after graded physical loads, as opposed to students with the high health level engaged in recreational Physical Education classes (t=-2.77, p<0.05), with the low health level (t=-5.59, p<0.001) or peers with limited motor activity (t=-3.74, p<0.01). Young males with the low HL attending extra-curricular recreational Physical Education classes demonstrated the longest recovery time.

Conclusion. The best physical health indices were registered in sporting students and in young males, whose weekly motor mode was limited to 6 to 8 hours, with the average and above average health levels by Apanasenko. Lower BDR values, longer time of recovery after graded exercise were observed in students with the increased volume of motor activity attending extra-curricular Physical Education classes, with the low or below average health levels.

The detected differences in the physical health indices stipulate a differentiated approach to the organization and maintenance of the compulsory curricular and extra-curricular forms of Physical Education of university students. Thus, it should be noted that the low functionality of the body of students, additionally engaged in recreational Physical Education classes, prevents them from participating in competitive activities, but at the same time, thanks to the high level of motivation they get involved in competitive activities by selecting the appropriate means and methods of pedagogical influence, aimed to solve the problem of involvement of students into the mass sports and health movement. Moreover, students with the high health level, attending extra-curricular Physical Education classes, can be actively involved in academic competitions, and, providing proper preparation, come out for the team of their group, course, faculty or university, which will contribute to the enhancement of the university physical education efficiency.

References

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Corresponding author: kaa_03@mail.ru

Abstract. The article presents a study of health indices in young males studying in the university, differentiated according to the volume of their weekly motor activity - more than 8 hours per week, from 6 to 8, from 2 to 4 hours per week. The highest values of the health index were registered in sporting students, and in young males attending extra-curricular recreational Physical Education classes, the smallest ones – in young males attending only compulsory Physical Education classes, as well as in those students, who were engaged in motor activity of increased volume.