SOCIO-BIOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF POPULATION PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIOR UNDER GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND RESTRICTIONS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. The objective of the study was a comprehensive investigation of socio-biological determinants of physical activity behavior, weekly energy expenditure, and somatometric parameters among various population groups under the conditions of martial law.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. A sociological online survey was conducted among 211 respondents, including 97 students (aged 18–20) and 114 employees of various institutions (aged 21–55). Physical activity (PA) was assessed using the IPAQ with the calculation of energy expenditure in metabolic equivalents (MET-min/week). Physical status was evaluated via Body Mass Index (BMI). Statistical processing was performed using "Statistica 10.0" and MS Excel software, including the construction of a multivariate binary logistic regression model.

RESULTS. According to the population monitoring results using the international IPAQ questionnaire, all respondents spent the most time during the week on walking of various intensities (414.62 ± 19.11), and spent 231.72 ± 11.38 min. Weekly physical activity did not actually differ in intensity, namely: high-intensity PA and moderate PA amounted to 121.16 ± 5.90 min and 120.15 ± 7.34 min, respectively (p ˃ 0.05). A progressive age-related increase in BMI was revealed, ranging from normal values in youth (22.17 ± 0.31 kg/m²) to overweight in individuals over 40 years old (28.49 ± 0.48 kg/m², p < 0.001). BMI is the leading independent factor in the presence of chronic pathology: a 1 kg/m² increase in BMI statistically significantly elevates the odds of developing chronic diseases by 11.2% and accordingly reduces the probability of maintaining health.

CONCLUSIONS. Sedentary behavior is becoming increasingly widespread across all age groups. The population's energy expenditure indicators fall below international standards. Distinct age-related patterns in physical activity have been identified: the highest levels of physical activity are characteristic of young people under 20 years of age, whereas physical inactivity increases with age alongside the progression of excess body weight. Based on self-reported data, BMI emerged as the leading independent risk factor for the presence of chronic pathology. Among behavioral factors, moderate-intensity physical activity demonstrates the highest preventive potential. Achieving the WHO-recommended volume of moderate-intensity exercise (150 min/week) reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases by 24.9%, while regular walking shows only a minor preventive effect (up to 7%).