Antropometric and cardiorespiratory indicators for the evaluation of the Ukrainian youth health

Abstract

The development of precise criteria for the evaluation of youth’s health and fitness level is an actual scientific problem. The express assessment technologies are of great interest nowadays due to their broad population coverage and optimum cost. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the health status of the Ukrainian youth via the express evaluation method that helps to identify the state of cardiorespiratory system. Those involved in the randomized study were students (N=365, 163 male and 202 female) aged 18 to 22. Body mass index, lung vital capacity, vitality index, strength index, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were studied by means of standard methods. The complex information received through different indexes was used for the generalized express assessment of health level. The results showed that 54.0 % of females and 15.3 % of males had an average level of health. No one from the experimental group showed the highest health level indices according to the standards. The low-level parameters were observed in 38.7 % of males and 19.3 % of females. The results obtained confirm the fact that student population has an average or below-average level of health. This indicates the occurrence of chronic contagious diseases, mainly those of cardiovascular and respiratory systems.