The aim of the present essay were: a) to discuss the achievements of the epidemiology of physical activity field over the last decades in Brazil; b) highlight the need of qualitative studies in the field, by using some national and international examples; c) suggest some topics that could be explored in future studies using combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The field of physical activity epidemiology has grown substantially in Brazil over the last years, particularly after 2000, which coincides with the dates in which Physical Education teachers started to join postgraduate programs in Public Health and Epidemiology. However, these improvements were achieved based primarily on quantitative studies, given the fact that most qualitative studies in the field in Brazil have failed to go beyond commenting on the methods used in quantitative studies and its limitations.
Motor activity; qualitative research; epidemiology; quantitative research