[Socio-cultural aspects regarding the perception of quality of life amongst people engaging in extreme (high-risk) sports].
OBJECTIVE
Considering the search for adventure activities as a form of improving life quality, the present paper aimed at analyzing the perception of some dimensions of that category among hang-gliding apprentices.


METHODS
A questionnaire was applied to 30 brasilians hang-gliding and paragliding apprentices in order to identify aspects such as, physical activity, preventive behavior, nutrition, stress control and social relationships.


RESULTS
Comparing results with the ones found in other adventure sports, it was observed that flyers adopt a competitive and risky behavior, not showing good results in relation to affectionate relationships and physical exercises. On the other hand, all of them are considered as wealthy and more used to dealing with stress. Even not possessing good physical conditioning, individuals practice flight just due to their technical knowledge and the dominium of technology Thus, apprentices use those sport tensions as a form of training the stress control in risky situations.


CONCLUSIONS
Regarding mental health, activities of active leisure are highly recommended as an escape valve to stress. The group studied showed that besides increasing the tolerance to stress, generated by risky situations, individuals went beyond, once it was observed that the risks of such sport have turned the individuals into more and more insensitive to the professional life pressure.
Centro de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Brasil. ggapimentel@uem.br
Giuliano Gomes de Assis
GG
Pimentel
D001938:Brazil; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological