Aerobic fitness trend of students of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education at the University of Belgrade

Abstract

Aerobic fitness, endurance, and cardiovascular endurance are synonyms for work capacity, which itself is an important prerequisite for the health and life of every man. The purpose of this research was to identify the trend of aerobic fitness of students in the last 15 years. The Survey method, which implies nonexperimental crossectional research, was used. The instrument is UKK 2km, walking test. The total sample consisted of 605 subjects (389 males, 216 females), students of Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, aged 18-28 years. They were divided into three groups, according to when they were tested, the first group was tested in the period 1997-2000 (N = 299), the other was tested from 2001-2004 (N = 200), the third was tested in 2012 (N = 106). Analysis of the results showed a decreasing trend in fitness index of male students with 104.1 to 77.3, and of the female students from 96.4 to 84.8. T-tests confirmed differences in fitness index, at the level of p<0.05 for both sexes. The maximum oxygen consumption among male students declined from 51.3 to 40.3 ml/kg/min, and among female students from 37.5 to 33.7 ml/kg/min. The results indicate toward decreasing trend in students' aerobic fitness in both sexes, but the trend is less pronounced in female students. Students of both sexes have fitness index values below the standard norms of the Swedish population. According to the criteria of Cooper oxygen consumption students have moved from the 'Excellent' to the 'Very good' category. The general trend of decreasing aerobic fitness of the population can be seen in the sport and physical education students, as a consequence of lifestyle in which there is not enough adequate physical activity.