Holistic Health
Team sports can offer comprehensive health benefits
Group activities improve well-being and create meaningful socialising opportunities
It ’ s a common refrain that physical activity can have significant health benefits across the board , in both body and mind , but breaking a sweat with other people not only provides the usual pros of doing exercise but also creates socialising opportunities that improve psychological well-being and give meaning to life .
One study conducted in Canada of students aged 1� to 24 who either participated in team sports , informal fitness groups ( like yoga and running groups ), or exercised alone suggests that physical activity provides greater mental health benefits when it ’ s done with others .
“ The results of this study indicate that promoting PA �physical activity� in organized ( i . e ., team sports ) and non-organized ( i . e ., informal group PA ) social contexts , is likely more effective than individual PA , in enhancing positive mental health and reducing depressive symptoms among youth in transition to adulthood ,” the authors wrote in Mental Health and Physical Activity .
They posited that the reason students who engaged in group physical activities had better mental health was that they were able to create a social support network while exercising with others .
Similarly , team sports can be particularly beneficial for kids as they help them learn how to interact with their peers , experts say .
“ When kids participate in cooperative play , they have to figure out how to solve problems , how to work together and sometimes , how to manage the frustrations that come with people not doing what you want them to do ,” said �r Matthew Sacco , a health and sport�performance psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic , on its website .
Team sports may also have a positive mental health impact on kids who are going through traumatic experiences at home , like abuse , parental separation , and household substance abuse .
A 201� study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that individuals who reported adverse childhood experiences ( AC�s ), such as physical or emotional neglect or abuse , were less likely to receive a diagnosis of depression or anxiety if they engaged in team sports during adolescence . “ Given that participation in team sports was associated with improved adult mental health among those with AC�s , pediatricians might consider recommending team sports participation for patients with AC�s and parents might consider enrolling their children with AC�s in team sports ,” wrote the study authors .
It ’ s also paramount to keep the experience positive , says �r Sacco , to make sure kids enjoy it and want to keep playing in the long term , which means giving less importance to winning and who ’ s a good player and who ’ s not .
“ The reality is that most of these kids aren ’ t going to become high-level athletes ,” he advises . “ For them , sports should be about having fun and being active . And the onus is on the adults to make sure things don ’ t become too negative or competitive .”
The good news is that team sports aren ’ t beneficial only for kids . Studies have observed similar health benefits in adults who engage in team sports , including emotional social support , sense of belonging , higher self-esteem , social network , and interaction .
“ There is consistent evidence that participation in a team sport is associated with improved social and psychological health independent of the type of team sport , age , somatic , or mental health problems ,” concluded the authors of a review on scientific research in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health .
Team sports can be particularly beneficial for kids as they help them learn how to interact with their peers .
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24 ISSUE 2 | 2024 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com