Abstract
Introduction: Due to the aging population in Europe, where the number of old people exceeds the number of young people, much attention is paid to the issue of the elderly. The studies conducted so far in Poland show that the health behaviour of seniors is inadequate, which may result in a low quality of life. The aim of this paper was to determine the health behaviour of students at the University of the Third Age (UTA).
Materials and methods: Surveys were conducted among the 83rd group of the UTA in Police (Poland). Based on the surveys, the frequency of participation in classes, the form of classes, sex and education were scrutinized in order to examine the background of the respondents and their declared health behaviours.
Results: Assessing the level of health behaviours in the students showed that respondents mostly presented a high rate of healthy behaviour (63.86%). Gender is significantly correlated with the overall participation in health-related behaviours. The respondents are also found to underestimate the role of physical activity in shaping positive health behaviours.
Conclusions: The obtained research results indicate the usefulness of the activities of the UTA in the field of promoting appropriate health behaviours among older people, particularly in those who have a lower level of education. The educational offering at the UTA should be expanded to include knowledge about health behaviours, especially in the field of physical activity.