Physical activity and health of university professors

Introduction. One kind of mental work is the work of teachers. The combination of university professors’ labor activity of high social responsibility, social discomfort, low physical activity (PA) in university professors’ training causes high tension and, in some places, overstrain of the systems of regulation of vegetative functions.

Aim of the study: the influence of physical activity on the health indices of university professors.

Material and methods. Objects of study: professors (teachers) of Surgut State University (RF): of general profile (low physical activity) and sports profile (high PA). Authors applied physiological, questionnaire, statistical methods.

Results. The questionnaire survey and showings of pedometer showed that for general teachers PA is much lower than for teachers of sports profile. The low percentage of teachers with a bodyweight index that qualifies for ‘normal’ proved the low PA. Among the reasons for low PA, teachers note a lack of time and high overload. Low PA is detrimental to health outcomes. Low PA affects the resistance of the organism, in particular the incidence. According to a questionnaire survey, 52.1% of general profile teachers reported having problems with the cardiovascular system, while 23.0% of sports profile teachers had the same diseases. General profile teachers in educational activities show a higher level of functional stress of the cardiovascular system. Low PA causes an imbalance of the ergotropic and trophotropic systems in the central nervous system. Simultaneously, sports profile teachers have more activation of the ergotropic system to induce adaptation mechanisms in general profile teachers using hypokinesia to activate the ergotropic system aimed at sanogenesis.

Conclusion. Low PA reduces the functional activity of organs and systems, violates the regulatory mechanisms that ensure their relationship, which may affect the organism resistance by various adverse factors.