Heritability in the sport sciences: understandings and misunderstandings

Abstract

Heritability is a statistical population parameter which allows us to know the proportion of phenotypic variation in a population that is attributable to genetic variation between individuals. It always refers to a specific phenotypic trait in a given population at a given time. Because of the importance heritability has to the research in genetics – including the one related to fitness and physical activity – and due to the permanent confusion the interpretation of this parameter generates, our purpose is to clarify its concept, limitations and frequent misunderstandings.