Audronė Astrauskienė
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases is an important problem of public health not only because of wide spread, sudden death, long-term disability, but also because they can be preventable when preventive means are used properly – even those people who have relatively high risk to catch mentioned illnesses can decrease the risk by changing their life style. Objective of the study is to determine a connection between cardiovascular system of elderly women and physical activity. By using questionnaire method 140 elderly women were questioned, 70 of them were physically active and 70 were physically passive. Average age of women questioned is 57 ± 6,1 years. During the questioning, the questionnaire of study of Š. Klizas et al. was used, which was prepared according to basic factors of risk of cardiovascular diseases, principles of healthy life style analyzed in scientific literature. Reliability of the method was verified by using index of Cronbach alfa coefficient (0,73). Data obtained show that 10,0 percent of physically active women and even 28, 6 percent (χ²=17,64; df =2; p=0,000) of physically passive women have too big amount of cholesterol in blood. Only 44,3 percent of active women and only 18,6 percent of passive women (χ²=10,74; df =1; p=0,001) are taking healthy nutrition.
Percentage of women with too big concentration of cholesterol in blood is bigger almost threefold between physically passive women. Physically active elderly women take care of their health more often than physically passive women of the same age.
Keyword(s): activity; cardiovascular system; elderly age
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2013.017
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