Improving Water Safety and Long-term Engagement in Aquatic Physical Activity: The Aquatic Literacy Framework

Young people worldwide are affected by two main health-related issues: physical inactivity and drowning accidents. Encouraging participation in aquatic physical activities in a safe way could address this dual concern. Aligning theoretical frameworks of physical literacy and water competencies could empower young people with key skills to engage safely and sustainably in aquatic environments. The aim of this theoretical paper is to provide a philosophical, ontological, and epistemological rationale for merging these two frameworks into a new concept: aquatic literacy. The multidimensional concept is presented and describes the intertwined physical, psychosocial, and cognitive domains, which provide a means to empower young people to safely enjoy aquatic opportunities and achieve individual health benefits. This new concept needs supportive empirical data, such as the level of individuals in each domain of aquatic literacy, to be a strong framework for guiding aquatic educators and stakeholders to better engage and protect people worldwide.