Study on the health status of students in higher medical education

Abstract Introduction The health benefits of regular physical activity are clear. More students should engage in physical activity every day of the week. Participating in physical activity from the sport lessons is very safe for most students. Aim In this study we want to ascertain the health status of the students at the beginning of the academic year, in order to have a more efficient didactic design and to identify the possible medical conditions that can generate health risks during physical exercises. Methods The study was performed using the PARQ+ questionnaire (The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) and body mass index. These were applied to a number of 235 subjects, students in higher medical education. Results The results showed that 71.07% of the students have no health problems and are fit for physical effort, and 28.93% of them were identified with various activity-limiting medical conditions. The results obtained by calculating the BMI show us that 69.79% of the subjects are in the normal weight category. Conclusion In conclusion, for most students, physical activity does not involve any risk. Taking into account the high percentage of those with different conditions, knowing the health status of students should represent an important milestone in the activity of teachers, and help them eliminate the risk factors. Thus, almost 3 out of 10 students should check with a doctor about the risks associated with exercising before they begin to become more physically active.