Przeszłość sportowa a obecna sprawność fizyczna mężczyzn po 50. roku życia

Background. The literature on the determinants of health in older adults and the elderly shows a paucity of current research on the long-term effects (positive and negative) of participation in professional sports in youth. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between early involvement in professional sports and late-age physical fitness. Material and methods. A sample of 48 men over 50 years was recruited, of which 23 were former professional athletes and 25 formed a control group with no history of involvement in sports in youth. Anthropometric and physical fitness measures were collected and basic descriptive statistics were calculated. Data were analyzed with Statistica 9.1 software using Student’s t test for independent samples. Results. Intergroup differences were observed in body fat distribution. In addition, the former athletes exhibited lower waist and hip girths. Conclusions. The lack of statistically significant differences in fitness levels demonstrates that past participation in sports does not guarantee improved health in later life. Additional research is needed involving larger sample sizes and controlling for lifestyle behaviors and quality of life markers.