Factors influencing levels of physical activity among female students from the Visegrad countries

Background
Our study aims to illustrate the diversity in levels of physical activity among female students from the Visegrad countries (V4), in four domains: job-related activity, transportation physical activity, housework, house maintenance, and caring for family, as well as recreation, sport, and leisure-time physical activity. These domains were correlated with factors including: BMI, field of study, physical fitness self-assessment and amount of leisure time.

Material and methods
In total 1,169 female students from V4 countries: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland were involved in the study. In terms of conducting the study, the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire IPAQ, was utilised.

Results
Female students from the V4 countries were characterized by moderate (47.5%) and high (43.7%) levels of physical activity, and the WHO recommendations on health-related quality of life were fulfilled in more than 80% of the respondents.

Conclusions
Analysis showed statistically significant differences in BMI, where underweight students (59.3%) demonstrated a moderate level of physical activity. The physical fitness self-assessment of female students from the V4 countries shows significant differences in their level of physical activity in all analysed areas and indicates that field of study as well as their amount of leisure time do not notably affect their level of physical activity.