PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN STUDENTS

Physical health refers to the well-being of the physical body and is defined as the optimal functioning of its constituent parts (cells, tissues, organs and systems) and harmonious interaction between them, contributing to normal structural-functional characteristics and adaptability of the organism, good physical performance and physical development. The purpose of the research is to establish whether there is a relationship between the physical development of students and their quality of life. The object of the study are 118 first-year students from the College of Medicine at Trakia University (91 women and 27 men). The research methodology includes the application of the WHO test (5) - quality of life index, anthropometric measurements including: height, weight, waist and hips as well as the ratio between them (WHR-index), BMI (body mass index). The interdisciplinary approach used, which is based on the relationship between mental (quality of life test) and physical well-being, did not find significant differences in the mental well-being test, but such were found by applying the Mann-Whitney test, and the data indicated, that a difference was found in relation to BMI (p≦0.05).