Restricting movement for the population and the impact of preventative measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have spurred research interests in analyzing the healthy lifestyle of the student population. The aim of the study was to examine gender differences between students in physical activity, and the perceptions of physical fitness and well-being during lock-down due to COVID-19. The sample consisted of male (n=268; 25.9%; age 22.56±2.12) and female students (n=768; 74.1%; age 22.12±1.73) at the University of Sarajevo (UNSA). The questionnaire included questions and scales constructed to measure: physical activity, physical fitness, and the acute effects on well-being. χ² independence test were used to determine gender differences (p<0.05). Prior to the declaration of the COVID-19, there was a significant difference in the level of regular physical activity between male and female students at UNSA (p<.01). The data indicated that at that time 65% of male students were regularly physically active, while 45% of female students had regular physical activity. During the lock-down measures at UNSA: 46% of male and 40% of female students reported being regularly physically active and no significant differences were found in relation to gender (p>.05); 65% of male and 58% of female students reported a decline in physical fitness and significant gender differences were found (p<.05). After exercising male students reported better concentration and mood, more energy and motivation, and less nervousness in the range of 62–79%, while female students reported better concentration and mood, more energy and motivation, and less nervousness in the range of 62-81%. No significant differences were found in the physical activity acute effects on students' well-being in relation to gender (p>.05). Although gender differences in physical activity disappeared during the early phase of COVID-19 and lockdown measures, a more pronounced decrease in physical fitness was present in female students. The reported physical activity had equally positive acute effects on students' well-being.

The aim of this study was to determine the level of physical activity of elderly women living in the Canton of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample consisted of 115 subjects, divided in two sub-sample: fi rst group aged 50-59 (54.87 ± 2.59), N = 75; and second group aged 60-69 (64.52 ± 2.80), N = 40. Data collection was obtained using a long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ). After the results analysis, a high overall level of physical activity of the treated sample of elderly women was determined. The fi rst group of elderly women (age 50-59) achieved the total work MET 13990.56 ± 11012.0; the second group of elderly women (age 60-69) achieved the total work MET 9921.02 ± 7861.13. Determined exceptionally heavy physical activity (MET) was the most dominant mode of energy consumption in the case of both elderly women groups, was not expected. The fi rst group was more physically active compared to the second group of elderly women (p <0.05). This research has confi rmed that physical activity decreases with age. Promoting physical activity to improve the quality of life of elderly people should be a priority task of health policy of all local communities. It is important to provide appropriate ways of information about the health status of elderly people in order to determine priorities, and accordingly plan appropriate programs of physical activity.

Individualni aerobni fi tness se smanjuje za 8-10% tokom svake decenije života, dok veoma aktivni ljudi mogu smanjiti ovaj nivo na 2-3%. Opadanje snage je osjetno u šezdesetim, a posebno u sedamdesetim godinama života (15% odnosno 30%), (Sharkey & Gaskill, 2008). Takođe u brojnim studijama, utvrđeno je da su promjene koje nastaju kao posljedica biološkog starenja, povezane sa smanjenim stepenom fi zičke aktivnosti osoba starije dobi, a koje za posljedicu imaju smanjenje mišićne mase i tjelesne funkcije. Poznato je da organizovano tjelesno vježbanje ima mnogo pozitivnih efekata na organizam čovjeka u cjelini, te da ima jasan i prioritetan fi zički i zdravstveni uticaj na osobe i njihove radne aktivnosti. Međutim, bez obzira na to šta osoba radi-bilo da se bavi prostim fi zičkim poslom (nošenjem, podizanjem, poljoprivrednim radom) ili vrši fi zičke vježbe, njen mišić ni, kardio-vaskularni, respiratorni i centralni nervni sistem aktivno funkcionišu. Shodno tome će fi zička aktivnost, bilo kao tjelesna vježba ili fi zički rad, uvijek uticati na naše tijelo i tako dovesti do poveć anog nivoa funkcionisanja (Bjelica & Krivikapić, 2019). S druge strane, neaktivnost uzrokuje 9% prerane smrtnosti, što brojem iznosi više nego 5,3 od 57 miliona smrtnih slučajeva širom svijeta tokom 2008. godine (Lee i sar. 2012). Istoimeni autori navode da ukoliko neaktivnost nije eliminisana ali jeste umanjena za 10% ili 25%, onda bi se smrtnost tokom svake godine mogla izbjeći za više od 533 000 odnosno za više od 1,3 miliona slučajeva. Ovakav navod potvrđuje i činjenica da