Influence of demographic-biological and social-cultural determinants in the levels of physical activity in children and youngsters

Abstract

Physical activity is a habit of the greatest importance in promoting an active and healthier lifestyle as well as in reducing the amount of risk of developing chronic disease. This behavior is probably due to an interaction between someone’s genetic inheritance and someone’s environment. From a group of different fators related to environment we enhance certain demographic-biological and social-cultural determinants which seem to have a strong influence upon the acquisition of physical activity habits. The main purpose of this review article is to show the main consequences resulting from the interaction of the demographic-biological determinants (age, sex, social and economic status) and the social-cultural ones (family, friends, or the Physical Education teacher) into the acquisition of physical activity habits.