ABSTRACT
Three aspects of physical fitness-somatic characteristics, motor fitness, and sport participation-of girls from different sociogeographic origins of Belgium were contrasted. The sample consisted of a cross-sectional sample of 4,528 Flemish girls 13 to 18 years of age, who were classified by dwelling area as rural, semi-urban, and urban. Somatic characteristics included 16 anthropometric dimensions, skeletal maturity, and somatotype. Motor fitness was assessed by 10 tests. Sociocultural background information and the level of sport participation were investigated by questionnaire and interview. Data were analysed via one-way analyses of variance and growth curves were plotted to compare the sociogeographic differentiation patterns in physical fitness variables. The results show small motor and somatic differences between rural and urban youngsters, which is explained by the process of conurbation. However, urban girls were significantly more involved in sports than their rural counterparts. This is most probably due to greater sport involvement of parents from urban girls and/or the differences in available sport facilities.
