Adaptive Capabilities and Body Composition of Students with Different Levels of Physical Activity

Sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading causes of overweight, decreased fitness level, low adaptive capabilities and health problems among young students. The purpose of this paper was to study the adaptive capabilities and body composition of students with different levels of physical activity. Materials and methods. The research was conducted among 866 students (330 men and 536 women) aged 18–25 years at the Health Centre based at Arzamas City Hospital No. 1 using the methods of anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance analysis and cardiointervalography. Results. Half of the examined students (56.3 %) had an average level of physical activity, while the shares of students with low and high levels were almost equal (19.7 and 24.0 %, respectively). Adaptation parameters were assessed using R.M. Baevsky method and spectral analysis data, which allowed us to identify a positive effect of physical activity on students’ adaptive capabilities. Subjects leading a sedentary lifestyle were found to have high activity of the sympathetic division, predominance of the central regulatory circuit and of low-frequency waves over high-frequency waves in the supine and prone positions, as well as unbalanced body composition characterized by decreased active cell mass and water content and excess body fat, which indicates low adaptive capabilities. Physically active students were found to have minimal centralization of heart rhythm control, predominance of the autonomic regulatory circuit and of high-frequency waves over low-frequency waves, as well as greater activity of the parasympathetic division. In the orthostatic test, their total spectrum power decreased during the reduction in the activity of the parasympathetic division. Physically active students had lower body fat mass as well as higher active cell mass, water content and basal metabolic rate. They mostly had good and high scores of body composition index, which helps maintain their adaptive potential at a high level.