Research questions about skateboarding

1. Skateboarders appear to be disproportionately comprised of young, thin men. Is this perception shared by the general population?


2. To what degree does this perception reflect the true demographic and physical characteristics of skateboarders?


3. To what degree is the thinness of skateboarders accounted for by their relative youth (i.e. kids tend to be skinnier than adults)?


4. To what degree is the thinness of skateboarders accounted for by other factors, such as exercise, diet, income, and race?


5. Is there a social selection effect occurring that accounts for the thinness of skateboarders? In other words, do non-thin skateboarders have more trouble acquiring status and social benefits in the micro-culture, and stop skateboarding disproportionately?