Changes in the components of physical fitness determining health of young adults - on the example of a long-term observation of physiotherapy students from Bydgoszcz (Poland) in the years 2001-2020

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The aim of the study was to assess the changes in the components of physical fitness that are conducive to the health of young people surveyed in the years 2001–2020. Hypotheses were formulated about the increase in the thickness of skinfolds, especially among women, the deterioration of the results of fitness tests and the lack of conditioning of the examined changes with socio-economic factors. Materials and methods Every year, physiotherapy students of Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Poland) were examined in terms of body height and weight, skinfolds and flexibility, static strength, abdominal muscle strength, functional strength and endurance. Results were obtained from 1161 female students and 464 male students. Results A similar changes course was observed for most of the studied characteristics of people of both sexes. In men, there was a decrease in biceps skinfold (R2 = 0.455, p = 0.002) and lower leg (R2 = 0.314, p = 0.015). In women, there was an increase in body weight (R2 = 0.41, p = 0.003), a decrease in skinfold over the biceps (R2 = 0.477, p = 0.001) and worsened flexibility (R2 = 0.283, p = 0.023). It was found that male sex and suprailiac skinfold are frequent predictors of the examined motor characteristics and socioeconomic determinants do not significantly affect their maintenance. Conclusions The obtained results, except for a few examples in somatic features and flexibility of women, showed their stability and lack of conditioning by social factors as well as by the fitness test. Attention to the appropriate level of the observed components is justified, especially in the light of the identified trace of the trend which shows their deterioration.