The good impacts of sport and physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle are backed up by a mountain of scientific evidence. Regular physical activity has direct benefits in the prevention of a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression, and osteoporosis.
According to the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace’s report, physical activity benefits young people by contributing to the development of healthy bones, efficient heart and lung function, better motor skills, and cognitive function. Physical activity can aid in the prevention of hip fractures in women as well as the reduction of the consequences of osteoporosis.
Additional benefits
Physical activity can assist elderly persons preserve their quality of life and independence by increasing their functional ability.
- Physical activity
- Mental well-being
One in every four patients accessing a health service has at least one mental, neurological, or behavioural disorder,” according to the WHO, “yet the majority of these diseases are neither recognized nor treated.” Exercise has been demonstrated in a number of studies to be beneficial in the treatment of a variety of psychological diseases. Exercise has also been shown to have a beneficial effect on depression in studies.
Self-esteem
Improved self-esteem has been connected to physical self-worth and self-perception, particularly body image. The evidence for the health benefits of physical activity focuses primarily on intra-personal factors such as physiological, cognitive, and affective benefits; however, social and inter-personal benefits of sport and physical activity can also have positive health effects in individuals and communities. As part of a healthy lifestyle, sports and physical activity are encouraged. The impact of sport and physical exercise on health in diverse groups is influenced by a variety of factors.
Combination
Sport and physical activity may not provide direct advantages, but when combined with other factors, they can help people live healthier lives. There is data that suggests changes in the environment can have a substantial impact on participation possibilities, as well as the conditions in which the activity takes place, can have a big impact on health outcomes. Nutrition, intensity and type of physical activity, suitable footwear and clothes, environment, injury, stress levels, and sleep habits are all factors that may influence one’s health. Sport and physical activity may make a significant difference in people’s lives in poor countries.
Exercise, physical activity, and sport have long been used to treat and recover from communicable and non-communicable diseases. Individually, physical activity is a powerful tool for illness prevention, and for nations, it is a cost-effective way to improve population health.