„This one lived a healthy life, and that one lived a sick life”. The meaning of health and physical activity for children

Authors

  • Ewa Maciejewska-Mroczek Instytut Etnologii i Antropologii Kulturowej, Uniwersytet Warszawski, ul. Żurawia 4, 00-503 Warszawa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-600X.65.05

Keywords:

child, sport, body, childhood studies, new sociology of childhood

Abstract

This text presents the results of a research project conducted with children aged 8–11, and shows how children understand various aspects of health or healthy lifestyles. Physical activity and sport are, according to children, among the most important elements in healthy lifestyle. What is important here is the moral value ascribed to these activities. One who „runs, rides a bike, swims”, almost automatically becomes not only healthy, but also moral. An opposite attitude is not only lack of health, but also poor moral conduct (eg. addictions). In the children’s narratives such concepts as „good” and „healthy” were used interchangeably. While children present ambivalent attitudes towards various requirements of modern healthy lifestyles, physical activity and sport are positively valued areas. Children defined activity as not only „good”, meaning healthy, but also satisfactory. In the opinions of children, physical activity and sport can take place in various spaces, and practitioning them goes in line with their concept of a child.

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Published

2018-06-30

How to Cite

Maciejewska-Mroczek, E. (2018). „This one lived a healthy life, and that one lived a sick life”. The meaning of health and physical activity for children. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Sociologica, (65), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-600X.65.05