Abstract

Physical activity participation rates decline after adolescence for both males and females globally. Australia is a multicultural country comprised of people from various cultural backgrounds, each with their own sets of values and beliefs in regards to achieving a healthy lifestyle. One example is the Greek Diaspora of Melbourne containing the largest population of Greek people second to Athens after the Greeks migrated to Australian post World War II. Their beliefs and traditions hold vital importance to this population group as they seek to maintain the Greek culture within Western society. Research has identified that Greek culture influences the choices young adult Greek Australian females make in regards to their physical activity participation. Findings from this qualitative study elucidated that cultural identity is an important consideration for young adult Greek Australian females as they maintain their physical activity. This paper will primarily focus on how cultural identity influences an individual’s sport participation through analysing perceptions of young adult Greek Australian females. This research will be beneficial to improving the declining rate of physical activity participation after adolescence, as it recognises potential reasons why young adult Greek Australian females desire be remain physically active indefinitely.