Analysis of physical activity in 16 and 18 year-old grammar school students within international context

The main aim of the research was to analyse the extent and structure of physical activity in 16 and 18 year-old grammar school students. A total of 68 first-grade and 58 third-grade students were monitored at grammar schools in Katowice, Halmstad and Olomouc. For monitoring of their one-week physical activity, Caltrac accelerometers, Omron pedometers and recording sheets were used. The highest average daily energy output during physical activity was found in first-grade boys (866.57 kcal·day-1) and the lowest in third-grade girls (556.90 kcal·day-1). First-grade students completed 12,824 steps on average while the third-grade students could only manage 10,169 steps. Our previous research works aside, the difference between level of physical activity on weekdays and weekends was not established. As regards physical activity in general, walking and cycling prevailed in girls; whereas walking and soccer were predominant in boys.