Across the life course

Sport creates value at every stage of life, from building physical literacy and positive habits in childhood to supporting wellbeing, social connection, productivity and healthy ageing in adulthood.

Understanding these benefits across the life course helps organisations design participation experiences that maximise the health, social, and economic impact of sport for individuals, communities and government.

• Birth to 5 years
• 5 to 14 years
• 15 to 24 years
• 25 to 54 years
• 55+ years

Through play, movement and sport-related activities, young children develop the confidence, coordination and physical literacy foundations that support lifelong health, wellbeing and participation. 

Value and benefits

For individuals: ^{4, 5, 6, 7}

• Builds physical literacy across the physical, social, cognitive and psychological domains.
• Supports educational outcomes.
• Supports physical health and development.
• Supports emotional wellbeing.
• Supports positive behavioural outcomes.
• Increases the likelihood of becoming an active and healthy lifelong participant in physical activity.

For communities: ^{4, 5, 6, 7}

• Contributes to a population that is more likely to be active and healthy throughout life.
• Supports positive academic, physical, emotional and behavioural outcomes for children and young people.

Through participation in a range of sports and physical activities, children and young people continue to build physical literacy, and gain experiences that support their education, wellbeing, life skills and lifelong participation in physical activity.

Value and benefits

For individuals:

• Continues to build physical literacy, skills and confidence through participation in a range of sports and activities. ^{4, 5}
• Supports educational outcomes. ^{8, 9}
• Supports social and mental wellbeing. ^{8, 9}
• Develops life skills. ¹⁰
• Encourages lifelong participation in physical activity and associated health benefits. ^{11, 12, 13, 14}
• Increases the likelihood of remaining physically active into adulthood. ^{11, 12}
• Participation in sport during adolescence, particularly team sports, is associated with lower depression, anxiety and perceived stress, and higher self-rated mental health in young adulthood. ^{8, 9, 15, 16, 17}

For communities:

• Contributes to a population that is more likely to remain physically active throughout life. ^{11, 12}
• Supports positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes among children and young people. ^{8, 9, 15, 16, 17}
• Provides long-term health and social benefits through sustained physical activity. ^{11, 12}
• Contributes to reduced lifetime healthcare costs associated with inactivity. ^{11, 12}

Sport and physical activity help young people navigate a period of significant transition, supporting their education, employment, wellbeing, health and connection to community while encouraging lifelong participation in physical activity.

Value and benefits

For individuals:

• Supports educational and employment outcomes, including academic performance, job-ready skills and increased earning capacity. ^{9, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26}
• Supports social and mental wellbeing, including into the future. ^{9, 13, 19, 27, 28, 29, 30}
• Improves physical fitness and long-term health. ^{19, 30}
• Encourages prosocial behaviours. ¹⁹
• Is associated with greater trust in others, a stronger sense of belonging and an increased desire to contribute to the community through activities such as volunteering. ^{9, 13, 27, 28}

For communities:

• Contributes to improved health and wellbeing outcomes. ^{19, 31}
• Supports education outcomes. ⁹
• Strengthens community engagement and participation. ^{9, 19}
• Contributes to crime reduction. ^{19, 32, 33}
• Supports equality and inclusion. ¹⁹
• Contributes to economic development, including GDP contribution, improved labour productivity and health system savings. ^{19, 34}
• May contribute to reduced lifetime costs and improved return on investment across a range of government policy objectives. ^{9, 19, 31, 32, 33, 34}

Sport and physical activity help adults maintain their health, wellbeing and community connections throughout life, while providing opportunities to continue participating, volunteering and contributing to their communities.

Value and benefits

For individuals:

• Supports the maintenance and improvement of fitness and long-term health. ^{19, 35, 36}
• Supports social and mental wellbeing. ^{19, 36}
• Strengthens community connection. ³⁷
• Supports the ongoing development and transfer of life skills. ³⁸
• Improves workplace productivity and engagement. ^{39, 40}
• Participation in sport during middle age is associated with better health-related quality of life. ³⁵
• Participation in sport and volunteering is associated with improved physical and mental fitness and function across the life course. ^{37, 35, 36, 42, 43, 44}
• Adults who participate in sport, including as volunteers, generally report feeling happier and healthier. ^{37, 35, 36, 42, 43, 44}

For communities:

• Encourages children and young people's participation in sport through parental involvement in playing and volunteering roles. ⁴
• Contributes to community participation through volunteering and other non-playing roles. ⁴
• Supports health and wellbeing outcomes across the population. ^{19, 31}
• Contributes to community engagement. ^{9, 19}
• Supports equality and inclusion. ¹⁹
• Contributes to economic development through GDP contribution, improved labour productivity and health system savings. ^{41, 45}
• Has the potential to reduce public health costs associated with physical inactivity and related health conditions. ^{31, 41}

For older adults, sport and physical activity support healthy ageing by helping maintain physical function and wellbeing, reducing social isolation, and keeping people connected to their communities.

Value and benefits

For individuals: ¹⁹

• Supports the maintenance and improvement of fitness, physical function and long-term health.
• Supports social and mental wellbeing.
• Strengthens community connection.
• Provides cumulative benefits from lifelong participation in sport and physical activity.

For communities:

• Supports healthy and active ageing across the population. ¹⁹
• Contributes to community connection and social participation. ¹⁹
• Benefits from the ongoing contribution of older adults who remain engaged in volunteering and other non-playing roles. ⁴