The Positive Impact of Sport on Individual and Societal Health: A Critical Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/eijhss.v4i3.199Keywords:
Sport, Physical Health, Social Cohesion, Weight Management, Stress ReductionAbstract
This article critically reviews the positive impacts of sport on both individual health and societal well-being. It examines various dimensions, including physical health, mental health, social cohesion, and economic benefits. Regular participation in sports is shown to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, assist in weight management, and improve musculoskeletal health. Moreover, engaging in sports contributes to mental health by reducing stress, alleviating depression, enhancing cognitive function, and boosting self-esteem. On a societal level, sports foster community building, enhance social skills, and decrease antisocial behavior, promoting social integration and inclusion. The economic benefits are equally notable, with increased sports participation leading to substantial healthcare savings, productivity gains, and growth in the sports industry. However, challenges such as access and equity, injury risks, cultural barriers, and ethical concerns are also addressed. This review synthesizes findings from a broad range of studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of how sport can serve as a catalyst for improving health outcomes at both the individual and community levels. Recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers are provided to maximize these positive impacts and address existing challenges.
References
• Alberti, K. G. M. M., Zimmet, P., & Shaw, J. (2009). The metabolic syndrome—a new worldwide definition. The Lancet, 366(9491), 1059-1062.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2011). Sports-related injuries in children and adolescents.
• American Heart Association (AHA). (2019). Physical activity improves quality of life.
• Boutcher, S. H. (2011). High-intensity intermittent exercise and fat loss. Journal of Obesity, 2011, 868305.
• Bailey, R., Hillman, C., Arent, S., & Petitpas, A. (2013). Physical activity: An underestimated investment in human capital? Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 10(3), 289-308.
• Blondell, S. J., Hammersley-Mather, R., & Veerman, J. L. (2014). Does physical activity prevent cognitive decline and dementia? A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. BMC Public Health, 14, 510.
• Bowker, A. (2006). The relationship between sports participation and self-esteem during early adolescence. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 38(3), 214.
• Biddle, S. J. H., Ciaccioni, S., Thomas, G., & Vergeer, I. (2019). Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents: An updated review of reviews and an analysis of causality. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 42, 146-155.
• Cotman, C. W., & Berchtold, N. C. (2002). Exercise: a behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity. Trends in Neurosciences, 25(6), 295-301.
• Chenoweth, D. (2011). The economic costs of physical inactivity, obesity, and overweight in California adults during the year 2000: A technical report. California Department of Health Services.
• Craft, L. L., & Perna, F. M. (2004). The benefits of exercise for the clinically depressed. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(3), 104-111.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2015). Physical activity and health.
• Collins, A., & Flynn, A. (2008). Measuring the environmental sustainability of a major sporting event: A case study of the FA Cup Final. Tourism Economics, 14(4), 751-768.
• Cooney, G. M., Dwan, K., Greig, C. A., Lawlor, D. A., Rimer, J., Waugh, F. R., ... & Mead, G. E. (2013). Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9), CD004366.
• Colberg, S. R., Sigal, R. J., Fernhall, B., Regensteiner, J. G., Blissmer, B. J., Rubin, R. R., ... & Braun, B. (2010). Exercise and type 2 diabetes: the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: joint position statement. Diabetes Care, 33(12), e147-e167.
• Department of Health. (2011). Start Active, Stay Active: A report on physical activity for health from the four home countries’ Chief Medical Officers.
• Deloitte. (2016). The economic impact of sport in the UK. Sport England.
• Darcy, S., & Dowse, L. (2013). In search of a level playing field: The constraints and benefits of sport participation for people with intellectual disability. Disability & Society, 28(3), 393-407.
• Eime, R. M., Young, J. A., Harvey, J. T., Charity, M. J., & Payne, W. R. (2013). A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for children and adolescents: informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 10(1), 98.
• Elling, A., De Knop, P., & Knoppers, A. (2001). The social integrative meaning of sport: A critical and comparative analysis of policy and practice in the Netherlands. Sociology of Sport Journal, 18(4), 414-434.
• Friedenreich, C. M., Neilson, H. K., & Lynch, B. M. (2010). State of the epidemiological evidence on physical activity and cancer prevention. European Journal of Cancer, 46(14), 2593-2604.
• Fox, K. R. (2000). The effects of exercise on self-perceptions and self-esteem. In Physical Activity and Psychological Well-Being (pp. 88-117). Routledge.
• Hartmann, D., & Depro, B. (2006). Rethinking sports-based community crime prevention: A preliminary analysis of the relationship between midnight basketball and urban crime rates. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 30(2), 180-19
• Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58-65.
• International Labour Organization (ILO). (2009). Workplace health promotion and well-being.
• Kujala, U. M. (2009). Evidence on the effects of exercise therapy in the treatment of chronic disease. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(8), 550-555.
• Kohrt, W. M., Bloomfield, S. A., Little, K. D., Nelson, M. E., & Yingling, V. R. (2004). Physical activity and bone health. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 36(11), 1985-1996.
• Kavetsos, G., & Szymanski, S. (2010). National well-being and international sports events. Journal of Economic Psychology, 31(2), 158-171.
• Lee, I. M., Shiroma, E. J., Lobelo, F., Puska, P., Blair, S. N., & Katzmarzyk, P. T. (2012). Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: An analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. The Lancet, 380(9838), 219-229.
• Ng, D. M., Jeffery, R. W., Sherwood, N. E., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2014). Associations between perceived stress and physical activity and eating behaviors in a diverse sample: Project EAT. Preventive Medicine, 39(1), 5-12.
• Pratt, M., Macera, C. A., & Wang, G. (2000). Higher direct medical costs associated with physical inactivity. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 28(10), 63-70.
• PwC. (2018). At the gate and beyond: Outlook for the sports market in North America through 2022. PwC Sports Outlook.
• Salmon, P. (2001). Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: A unifying theory. Clinical Psychology Review, 21(1), 33-61.
• Schuch, F. B., Vancampfort, D., Richards, J., Rosenbaum, S., Ward, P. B., & Stubbs, B. (2016). Exercise as a treatment for depression: A meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 77, 42-51.
• Skinner, J., Zakus, D. H., & Cowell, J. (2008). Development through sport: Building social capital in disadvantaged communities. Sport Management Review, 11(3), 253-275.
• Spaaij, R. (2012). Building social and cultural capital among young people in disadvantaged communities: Lessons from a Brazilian sport-based intervention program. Sport, Education and Society, 17(1), 77-95.
• Warburton, D. E., Nicol, C. W., & Bredin, S. S. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: The evidence. CMAJ, 174(6), 801-809.
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2010). Global recommendations on physical activity for health. WHO Press.
• Walseth, K., & Fasting, K. (2004). Sport as a means of integrating minority women. Sport in Society, 7(1), 109-129.
