Long-Term Trends in Changes in Physical and Motor Development Observed among Physiotherapy Students from Bydgoszcz in 2011–2020

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the study is to assess the changes in somatic and motor characteristics in adolescents studying physiotherapy from 2011–2020. It was hypothesized that there was no secular trend of morphological features, its maintenance in endurance, increased sexual dimorphism and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the observed characteristics. Materials and methods: Young people studying at the Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz were examined. Basic somatic features, endurance and coordination were measured. WHR, BMI and dimorphism indices were calculated based on the results from 538 female and 217 male examined students. Results: There was a decrease in body height with an increase in body weight in relation to the values recorded in the years 2001–2010 (BMI: women D = 0.49, Z = 2.9192; men D = 0.93, Z = 3.5746; WHR women D = 0.01, Z = 2.88491; men D = 0.02, Z = 3.5746), an increase in sexual dimorphism and a significant increase in the waist circumference of women (R2 = 0.008, p (F) = 0.0353) year by year by 0.3099 cm (p = 0.035). Conclusions: The obtained results and the comparisons made allow us to assume that some people studying physiotherapy may have problems with meeting the standards that require physical effort.

“Secular trends (2001–2020) in physical fitness as a health component in physiotherapy students from Bydgoszcz (Poland)”

“…Previously, secular trends of increasing body height and mass, accompanied by a weaker body structure, were found 15 , 31 , 32 . Some of the studies showed a secular trend of an increasing BMI among Polish students, which contradicts the trends for this indicator in the currently analysed groups of female students in the 2011–2020 decade 18 , 32 . Among the currently examined characteristics, there were also trends towards a decrease in the thickness of the skinfold over the biceps and of that measured over the calf among men, which may indicate a greater activity involving the limbs, especially the upper limbs, than that involving the other parts of the body.…”

“…However, the main aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of changes in the examined somatic features and indicators of motor skills conducive to health over a period of two decades of observation. For the observed somatic features, secular trends of the decreased age in men and increased body mass in women, as well as the stability of the body height in both sexes, were found in the student groups 18 . In terms of the body height and mass of female students, the results obtained do not clearly correspond to those of secular trends in other student groups, especially those studied in earlier decades.…”

“…In the present study, a slightly different picture of the secular trend changes in the components of physical fitness supporting health in young adults was obtained compared with that based on the material collected in the analysis of the components supporting physical fitness 18 . Thus, the lack of a clear relationship between the energy factor and health and the need to separate the autotelic and heterotelic interpretations of the results of fitness tests were indirectly confirmed 20 , 23 , 26 .…”

“…There is scientific evidence of a secular trend of an increasing thickness of skinfolds and their stabilization on the upper torso, as well as increasing obesity among academic youth 13 , 31 . The reduction in the thickness of skinfolds on the lower leg among the currently studied students should be considered an unfavourable change, especially in light of the significant increase in their waist circumference during the pandemic 18 . This may increase the future risk of cardiovascular disease, especially when combined with the central fat allocation.…”

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

“…From the research on the physical tness of physiotherapy students, it is known that it differs from that of students at physical education universities and other universities undertaking education in this eld. Some of its components deteriorate [12][13][14][15][16]. However, most of the scienti c reports on changes in physical tness come from cross-sectional and comparative studies and less often from long-term studies of secular trends.…”