Introduction:

Health and sports shape particular practices, beliefs and cultural relationships in different contexts.

Objective:

To analyze the beliefs of immigrant and Huilliche-Mapuche students about the correlation between school sports and health.

Materials and methods:

A qualitative multiple-case study was developed based on an ethnographic approach. Participants included 71 subjects subdivided into two groups: one made up of immigrant students who participated in a school sports program with comprehensive teaching principles in Spain (n=47) and another made up of Huilliche-Mapuche students who participated in a similar program in Chile (n=24). Three group interviews were applied to each group for data collection.

Results:

Both groups perceived a positive association between participation in school sports and the development of health in different dimensions. There are differences regarding the cultural interpretation that both groups give to the concept of health and its possible correlation with school sports. However, both contexts present situations in which the culture of students is partially considered to work on these issues.

Conclusions:

Migrant and Huilliche-Mapuche students reported positive beliefs about the correlation between school sports and health development in its different manifestations.

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