Strengthening students’ health in the process of sports and health tourism engagement

Abstract

The aim: Is to investigate the level and dynamics of students’ physical health in the process of sports and health tourism engagement. Materials and methods: The research involved the students (men) of Sumy State University (n = 60). The research was conducted in 2018-2020. The comparative analysis of indicators of physical development, functional status and health of the students who were engaged in sports and health tourism (sports section of the Department of Physical Education, n = 30) in the process of their physical education, and the students who attended traditional physical education classes (main section, n = 30) was carried out. The level of the students’ health was assessed according to the methods by H. L. Apanasenko and V. P. Voitenko. Results: It was found that most indicators of physical development, functional status and state of health are significantly better at the end of the research in the students who were engaged in sports and health tourism during their education than in the students who were engaged in traditional physical education classes. The largest increases are in the indicators of body weight, circumferential size of the chest and the waist, heart rate, vital, strength indices, Robinson’s index, duration of heart rate recovery after standard exercise, duration of breath-holding at inspiration and expiration, level of physical health. Conclusions: The high level of physical development, functional status and the state of students’ health formed in the process of sports and health tourism will ensure the effectiveness of their learning in higher educational institutions owing to improving their mental and physical performance, as well as help to improve indicators of their lifesustaining and future professional activities.