2017, Volume 9, Issue 4

Diversity of factors determining physical activity in youth in Visegrad countries

Ewelina Niźnikowska¹, Józef Bergier¹, Barbara Bergier¹, Pongrăc Acs², Jăn Junger³, Ferdinand Salonna<sup>4

1</sup>Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska
²Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pecs
³Faculty of Sport, University of Presov
⁴Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University


Author for correspondence: Ewelina Niźnikowska; Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska; email: rewela.n[at]op.pl

Full text

Abstract

The present study aimed to gain knowledge about the diversity of factors determining physical activity in youth from the V4 countries.
The study involved 2145 students aged 15-17 years from the Visegrad countries (V4): the
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. A diagnostic survey was used as the research method in the form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-L). The Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests as well as the Pearson Chi-square independence test were applied to do the statistical calculations and determine statistically significant relationships.
More than half of the surveyed youth from the V4 countries (58.2%) demonstrated a high level of physical activity. Fewer than 6% of the adolescents exhibited a low level of physical activity.
Young people tend to exhibit a high PA level, with significantly higher values visible in boys, and the WHO health recommendations were met by 84% of the respondents. The main factors determining the level of physical activity, beside sex, were age and selfassessment of physical fitness.

Key words: physical activity, IPAQ, youth, Visegrad countries