Beyond Myths – Thinking Critically about Sport’s Role in Public Health
The Society Pages (TSP), an open-access social science project, explores the relationship between sports and public health.
A common narrative suggests that investing in performance-sport contributes to improving public health. However, this idea is more complex than it seems.
watching world-class athletes perform clearly inspires people to be active, doesn’t it? And sport is healthy, isn’t it?
Despite the widespread belief in the positive impact of sports on public health, research reveals a more nuanced reality. A recent paper challenges the myth that sport is inherently healthy and inspiring.
Author's summary: Challenging the myth of sports' role in public health.
- Sports and public health are not as directly linked as commonly believed.
- Investing in performance-sport may not necessarily improve public health.