The concept of typological variability of physiological individuality: I. Intrapopulation diversity of human habitual physical activity and its typological estimation

Abstract

A concept of typological variability of physiological individuality is suggested. In order to substantiate it, typological characteristics of individual variation in habitual physical activity (HPA) have been analyzed, at the first stage of the research, in subjects of both sexes at different ontogenetic stages (the preschool, primary school, adolescent, adult, and elderly ages). With the results of longitudinal studies taken into consideration, it has been demonstrated that HPA is a stable individual character in each age group and, in general, remains so in the course of ontogeny, as a subject changes age groups. This has made it possible to distinguish three functional types (FTs): subjects with low, medium, and high HPAs (FT-1, FT-2, and FT-3). An integrated approach to HPA assessment (pedometer measurements, daily electrocardiographic monitoring, a physical activity diary, and calculation of the circadian index) has allowed standards of daily physical activity and some functional characteristics of the cardiovascular system to be established in subjects of different FTs and prospects for further research in the assessment of individual health and the physiologically normal state to be determined on the basis of the new concept.