INFLUENCE OF THE FREQUENCY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES ON ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS AT THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE IN OSIJEK

The aim of this study was to establish the difference between male and female students who attended classes of "Physical Education" (P.E.) regularly and those who were engaged in an additional physical activity. Data of 154 male and 155 female students from the Faculty of Agriculture of Univrsity of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek were used. The students were measured by anthropometer (body height) and Omron scale type 550 (body mass index - BMI, % body fat (BM), % muscular mass (MM), % visceral mass (VM)). For the collection of data on additional physical activities a questionnaire was employed. According to the collected data, students were grouped into three subgroups (subgroup 1 - students who were not engaged in any additional physical activity at all; subgroup 2 - students who were engaged in an additional physical activity once to twice a week; subgroup 3 - students who were engaged in an additional physical activity three to four times a week. Regarding male students, a simple variance analysis showed a statistically significant difference only in MM variable between the first and second subgroup, whereas no significant differences in any other variable were established between any subgroups. Whereas, in female students a simple variance analysis showed a statistically significant difference between most of the subgroups in all variables. Statistically significant difference was determined in BMI variable between subgroup 1 and 3, in MM variable between first and second and first and third subgroup. More statistically significant difference was evident in BF variable between first and third subgroup and finally in VM variable statistically significant difference was also determined between first and third subgroup.