Assessment of the Level of Physical Health of the Youth with Different Somatotypes for the Ability to Adapt to Physical Activity

Abstract

Topicality. This paper is topical due to the need to monitor the level of physical health of youth, that will provide an opportunity to assess the potential level of health for  a further life. In its turn, the indicator of maximum oxygen consumption is an integral indicator of the body reserve capacity. Taking into account the fact that people have a large discrepancy in the morphological and physiological characteristics associated with the type of constitution, somatotypological peculiarities play an essential role in determining the level of physical health. Objectives of the Paper – to reveal sexual characteristics of the level of physical  health  of youth  aged 18–  20 years with different somatotypes on the indicator of maximum oxygen consumption. Methods of Research. The establishment of somatotypological affiliation was carried out in accordance with the method of Hit-Carter. In order to determine the level of maximum oxygen consumption, bicycle ergometry was used (V. L. Karpman et al.), while the level of physical health was assessed according to the criteria of Ya. P. Pyarnat and H. L. Apanasenko. Results. The study involved students aged 18–20 years (only 194 people). According to the results of somatotyping, the subjects were divided into corresponding somatotypological groups: balanced, endomorphic, ectomorphic,  endomorphic-mesomorphic  and mesomorphic. Among the girls, four somatotypological groups were identified, since there were no representatives of the mesomorphic somatotype, since the predominance of the muscular component of the girls’ body is not typical and can occur predominantly in athletes. The evaluation of aerobic performance according to Yа. P. Pyarnat's criteria has shown that girls have «excellent» aerobic performance, and among the young men, aerobic performance is «average» regardless of the somatotype. In turn, according to the estimation criterion of H. L. Afanasenko among both girls and boys, the value of the indicator of maximum oxygen consumption exceeds the «safe level of health». Conclusions. The results testify to the fact that the level of physical health among girls is «excellent», and among young men is «average». In turn, both boys and girls’ level of maximum oxygen consumption exceeds the «safe level of health» in all somatotypological groups.