Socio-demographic conditions of the realization of health-oriented lifestyles by women

Background We can talk about lifestyle when we deal with certain configurations of behaviour patterns, relatively constant and repetitive, in situations where there are conditions for alternative behaviours. Vitally significant in the realization of lifestyles are values which constitute the basis for human action, the criteria for the choices made. The aim of the study was socio-demographic conditions of the realization of health-oriented lifestyles by women. Material & Methods: Research conducted between 1999 and 2004 included 1361 women aged 20–75, living in cities of western Poland and participating in recreational physical exercise (purposive sampling). The diagnostic survey method was employed (the techniques of questionnaire, interview, List of Health Criteria). For the verification of the research hypotheses concerning the conditions (age, number of children, professional activity) of a health-oriented lifestyle (the recognized health and/or physical fitness values were set together with health-related behaviours: physical activity, forms of vacation, nutritional status, avoidance of smoking, moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages) the c2 independence test and the multiple correspondence analysis were used. Results: Women who appreciated the values of health and physical fitness (28.1%) were mostly characterized by manyyear participation in physical exercise (p=0.0123 for the c2 test), choice of active forms of relaxation (p=0.0396 for the c2 test), moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages (p=0.0353 for the c2 test), mainly with low alcohol content (p=0.0054 for the c2 test). No statistically significant dependences were found between recognition of these values and smoking or body weight of the subjects. Women who recognize the values of health and physical activity, or only health, with 7 or more years of history of participation in physical recreation, choosing vacations directly connected with physical activity and avoiding consumption of alcoholic beverages, are mainly professionally active or temporarily inactive individuals aged 30 to 49, having one child. Conclusions: In the dissemination of physical activity in our society it is necessary to promote the value of physical activity, presenting it in the context of health-oriented lifestyle. Lifestyle in such an approach can be applied in analysing the results of the process of education.