Comparison of healthy behavior in Ukrainian and Polish students of physical education

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to examine the healthy behaviors in undergraduate students of Physical Education (PE) from Ukraine and Poland in comparison to the control sample of students of other faculties. Material and methods: The group of 564 university students (67% of males), ranging in age from 18 to 41 years (M = 22.05, SD = 2.49), was surveyed using a written form of the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI). The HBI includes the following four subscales: healthy habits, nutrition (HHN), preventive behavior (PB), positive adjustments (PA), and healthy practices (HP). Undergraduates' sample consisted of 25% Ukrainian students of PE faculty, 30% Polish PE students, and 45% Polish sample of other faculty's students. Results: Overall, the undergraduates were presented with a low level of the total HBI. Both Ukrainian and Polish PE students scored higher than their other faculties' peers in the Total HBI, HHN, PB, and PA scales. Women scored significantly higher than men in the Total HBI, HHN, and PB scales. The interaction between faculty and gender was also found in the total HBI, HNN, and HP scores. Conclusions: The Polish Health Education curriculum at universities should be improved to increase PE students' healthy behavior as future teachers. New health promotion programs should be implemented at campuses and universities to maintain and improve a healthy lifestyle among students. These health prevention programs' main aim is to motivate students, be more responsible for their health, engage more in physical activity, learn effective coping with stress strategies, and practice healthy eating habits and other wellness forms.