Background — the high level of physical activity is known to contribute to the harmonious development of children and adolescents: moreover; it is a factor promoting prevention of hypodynamia. The low level of physical activity is a risk factor for the development of many non-communicable diseases. However, physical education is not considered by many students as an attractive subject. Aim — the objective of the present study was the enhancement of the motivational aspects of physical activity for the prevention of hypodynamia among students. Material and methods. Physical education of the students was carried out with the use of the standard and modified methods. A total of 206 students (including 133 girls and 73 boys) at the mean age of 17.5±1.5 years were available for the examination. The study was conducted before the intervention (1st year) after the termination of the physical culture lessons envisaged by the academic curriculum (3rd year). The evaluation of the physical conditions and fitness of the students was conducted on the basis of the Russian Physical Culture and Sport Complex (GTO), bioimpedance analysis making use of the «Medass» ABC-01 device; the functional reserves of the organism were assessed by means of hardware-software programs; the changes in food preferences were estimated on the basis of the FLLANK, questionnaire preliminarily adapted to the specific conditions of this country, and the characteristics of the metabolic processes were evaluated by laser correlation spectroscopy. Results. Dynamics of the successful performance of the GTO normatives in the girls manifested itself in the in reduction of time they spent to run the 100 meter distance; the same was true for the boys who had to overcome the distance of 3000 meters. The students of both sexes became capable of increasing the number of repetitions of crunch and jumping rope exercises. The basal metabolism in the girls was increased within one year after the start of classes, and in the boys two years after the onset of the exercises; simultaneously, the positive changes in the metabolic profile were documented in the students of either sex. No adverse events related to the application of the modified training methods were recorded. Conclusion. An important aspect of the present study was the impact of new methods of teaching physical education on the composite body composition. The modified methods were found to shift dietary preferences and metabolic processes in the body of the students after the termination of the educational program