UMA UMA
EN PT

Duarte Luís de Freitas

Faculty of Social Sciences

Penteada University Campus , Floor 1, Office 1.6

dfreitas@staff.uma.pt

(+351) 291 705 332 / 5332

Biographical Notes

Duarte Freitas is Professor of Sports at the University of Madeira (UMa), Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Madeira Island, Portugal, and is affiliated with the Centre of Research, Education, Innovation, and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D) of the Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, Portugal. His special research areas are growth and biological maturation of children and adolescents, and their interrelationships with fundamental motor skills, motor coordination and performance. He earned a PhD in Sport Science, a MSc, and a Licentiate in Physical Education from the Faculty of Sport of the University of Porto. He also awarded a Master of Science (by Dissertation) in Statistics and a Postgraduate Degree in Statistics and Data Analysis, both from the University of Essex, UK. Before his PhD, he spent a year at the Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium, as a visiting student in "Growth and Development Lab" under the supervision of Professor Gaston Beunen. His PhD dissertation focused on human growth, biological maturation, physical fitness, physical activity, and socioeconomic status. He teaches "Motor Development", "Physical Activity, Fitness and Health", "Research Methods", and "Gymnastics" at University of Madeira. His ongoing research projects include "Genetic and environmental influences on physical activity, fitness and health: the Madeira family study" and the "Madeira youth athlete study". His research has published over 30 peer-reviewed journals and several book chapters and books. He is recipient of various external grants, including the Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research, and Technology (FCT). He was recognized with the "Zarco Award 2003". He played football (regional and university levels) and was a men's artistic gymnastic coach with athletes who competed in European and World Championships. He has as hobbies football, hiking and farming.

Publications

- Desporto e Ciência 2025, A aguardar ISBN, Desporto e Ciência 2025, 2025

- Participants and non-participants in organized sports 11?14 years: growth, maturity status, physical activity, motor coordination and physical fitness, Malina, R., Antunes, A., Gouveia, É., Marques, G., Thomis, M., Freitas, D., American Journal of Human Biology, 2025, 12

- Associations of body size and morphology with cardiometabolic health in children: the contribution of genetic factos, Silventoinen, H., Maia, J., Sund, R., Gouveia, É., Antunes, A., Marques, G., Thomis, M., Jelenkovic, A., Kaprio, J., Freitas, D., Obesity, 2024, 9

- Body size and three estimates of skeletal age: Relationships with strength and motor performance among male soccer players 9?12 and 13?16 years, Malina, R., Freitas, D., Skrzypczak, M., Konarski, J., American Journal of Human Biology, 2024, 12

- Desporto e Ciência 2024, 978-989-8805-98-0, Desporto e Ciência 2024, 2024

- Genetic regulation of physical fitness in children: a twin study of 15 tests from Eurofit and Fitnessgram test batteries, Silventoinen, K., Maia, J., Sillanpää, E., Sund, R., Gouveia, É., Antunes, A., Marques, G., Thomis, M., Kaprio, J., Freitas, D., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2024, 7

- Growth, maturity status, motor proficiency and fitness of participants and non-participants in organised sports 7?10 years, Malina, R., Antunes, A., Gouveia, É., Marques, G., Thomis, M., Freitas, D., Annals of Human Biology, 2024, 11

- Influence of body size and skeletal maturity status on strength and motor performances of soccer players 9?16 years, Konarski, J., Skrzypczak, M., Freitas, D. Malina, R., Scientific Reports, 2024, 12

- Interrelationships among skeletal age, growth status and motor performances in female athletes 10?15 years, Freitas, D., Antunes, A., Thomis, M., Silva, R., Marques, G., Silva, A., Nunes, R., Delgado, M., Jardim, P., Xíxaro, R. Silva, J., Fernandes, F., Malina, R., Annals of Human Biology, 2024, 12

- Secular trends in physical growth among Peruvian children and adolescents living at high altitude, Bustamante, A., Santos, C., Maia, J., Freitas, D., Garganta, R., Katzmarzyk, P., Pereira, S., American Journal of Human Biology, 2024, 10

Academic Qualifications

- Master Degree in Estatística, 2012, University of Essex

- PhD in Ciência do Desporto, 2001, Universidade do Porto

- Master Degree in Ciências do Desporto, 1995, Universidade do Porto

- Undergraduate Degree in Educação Física, 1987, Universidade do Porto