Physical, mental, and social wellbeing

Sport and physical activity participation can support physical, social, and mental wellbeing for women and girls.
Sport and physical activity participation can support physical, social, and mental wellbeing for women and girls. 12, 13, 16, 25, 37, 38
Physical wellbeingPhysical inactivity has a significant impact on the likelihood of developing many diseases including type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer, dementia, coronary heart disease and stroke, as well as uterine and breast cancer in females.39, 40, 41
Data from the most recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ‘Physical activity across the life stages report’ shows that many Australian females were not sufficiently active.40
Ages 2-5 years - In 2011–12, 59% of girls (compared to 62% of boys) met the physical activity guideline, while about one-quarter (24% of girls and 25% of boys) met the sedentary screen-based behaviour guideline. Overall, only 16% of girls and 17% of boys met both the physical activity and sedentary screen-based behaviour guidelines.
5-12 years - In 2011–12, 25% of girls (compared to 27% of boys) met the physical activity guideline. More girls met the sedentary screen-based behaviour guideline than boys (40% compared with 30%). Overall, similar proportions of girls and boys met both guidelines (11% and 13% respectively).
13 – 17 years – Similar proportions of girls and boys met the physical activity guideline (7.2% and 8.4% respectively); however, a higher proportion (26%) of girls met the sedentary screen-based behaviour guideline, compared with 15% of boys.
18 – 64 years – 22% of women met the strength-based activity guideline (compared to 26% of men). The proportion meeting the guideline decreased as age increased for both women and men. Women aged 35–44 and 55–64 undertook the least amount of physical activity, doing 32 minutes per day, on average. Women aged 18–24, 25–34 and 45–54 completed slightly more physical activity per day (35, 38 and 35 minutes per day, on average, respectively).
65 years and over - The proportions of women (23%) and men (27%) who met the physical activity guideline were similar. However, with increasing age, the proportion meeting the physical activity guideline among women decreased while for men the proportion remained the same. Among women, 28% of those aged 65–74 met the physical activity guideline, compared with 19% of women aged 75–84, and only 9.5% of women aged 85 and over. For strength-based activity, 16% of women aged 65–74 met the guidelines, compared with 8.1% of women aged 85 and over. This decrease was not seen in men, where the proportion completing at least 2 days of strength-based activities remained relatively similar for all age groups (around 13%–14%).
Analysis of longitudinal data on Australian children found that those who participated in sports – particularly team-sports for boys and individual sports for girls – spent less time playing electronic or computer games and were less likely to be sedentary overall.42
Many women and girls also participate in sport and physical activities to gain or maintain physical fitness or health.25, 30, 31, 32, 33
A 2024 analysis of over 400,000 adults in the United States who provided survey data on leisure-time physical activity found that women derived greater gains in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk reduction from equivalent doses of leisure-time physical activity compared to men (i.e. women only had to do 140 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to reach the same benefit that men required 300 minutes to achieve).37
A 2023 randomised controlled trial of recreational handball for postmenopausal women found improvements in VO2peak and aerobic performance achieved after 16 weeks of training were maintained at 36 weeks. Continuing the training for another 20-weeks led to further improvements in lipid profile markers and physical fitness variables.43
Social and mental wellbeingSport, particularly team-based sport, can positively impact social and mental wellbeing, including by fostering positive peer interaction, social engagement, and enjoyment. 4, 5, 7, 15, 25, 30, 32, 33, 34, 44, 45, 46, 47
The 2019 Suncorp Australian Youth and Confidence research found that 65% of girls aged 11-17 years surveyed said that playing sport made them feel great about themselves, and a similar number acknowledge that sport can make them feel proud.19
The Women’s Sports Foundation in the UK highlights that girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem, lower levels of depression, generally more positive body image, and experience higher states of psychological well-being than girls and women who do not play sports.12, 13
A 2017 European study found that more frequent physical activity and sport participation independently contributed to greater well-being and lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescent females and males.4
A 2013 evaluation of the international Wheelchair Tennis Development Fund found that the psychological benefits included increased self-confidence and empowerment (particularly for women), increased opportunities for independence, and improved perceptions of persons with disability.48
Resources and reading
How disabled women athletes are helping mainstream sport clubs become more inclusive, opens in a new tab, Elizabeth Wright, ABC, (11 December 2023). In recent years, Frankston Basketball has struggled to attract disabled people to the club. "We couldn't cater to adults or anybody in a wheelchair or anybody that had a different disability," Ms Thomas said. "It's not the person's disability that stops them from coming, it's the barriers of the programs not being accessible, the people not being trained." To remove these barriers, the club is participating in a national program called the Building Inclusive Sport Clubs Project.
Feeling more confident, active and happier: What the World Dwarf Games mean to the Australian women's basketball team, opens in a new tab, Julie Dickson, Siren Sport/ABC, (5 November 2023). While the Netherlands proved too strong in the gold medal match, the first Australian women's basketball team to play at the World Dwarf Games didn't just bring home a silver medal. They changed the game for short statured women. Kate Colley is one of the newcomers. Before joining the new team, Kate did little exercise. She says training for the Games has helped her to incorporate more exercise into her everyday life and has also boosted her confidence.
How to create a more equitable future for women with a disability in sport, opens in a new tab, Georgia Munro-Cook, Siren Sport/ABC, (26 April 2023). In 2012, my life was abruptly up-ended after a planned routine hip surgery instead uncovered something far worse, which resulted in disability. On top of the excruciating chronic pain, limited walking ability, and constant brain fog, what was the most devastating to me at the time was that I could no longer play the game I love. Basketball was one of the most important parts of my life. It felt like I had lost part of my identity. Then someone suggested playing wheelchair basketball. The thought had never really crossed my mind as, like most people, I assumed you had to use a wheelchair full-time. But this person assured me that actually people with many different types of disability played wheelchair basketball, including many people like me. So, I went and tried it out. And it was incredible — I could play sport again. But it wasn't just the actual game of basketball that was important in regaining my sense of self. My experience playing with the Australian Gliders has helped me come to terms with my disability and learn from others in how to negotiate living in a world that still puts up barriers for so many people with a disability.
Why Equitable Opportunity Matters: What a Life in Sport Provides Women and Girls Beyond the Game, opens in a new tab, Mim Haigh, Athlete Assessments, (2020). While girls’ and women’s opportunities to participate in sport have improved following the passage of Title IX in the United States, boys and men continue to be involved in sport substantially more than their female counterparts, and this gap only grows as they get older. Indeed, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations (2018-2019) boys have 1.13 million more opportunities to play sports than girls each year. The narrative extends well beyond the competition arena with the research clearly stating that from C-suite executives or developing leaders, to those entering the workforce, college, or school, with their practiced problem-solving abilities, leadership, and team building capabilities, a background in sport uniquely positions women and girls for success in any non-sporting endeavor. Some benefits or skills identified as being fostered by sport participation include Self-awareness, Self-belief and Self-confidence, Teamwork, Leadership, Driving standards, Discretionary effort, Performance under pressure, and Winning and losing.
Benefits – Why Sports Participation for Girls and Women, opens in a new tab, Women’s Sports Foundation (30 August 2016). Sport has been one of the most important socio-cultural learning experiences for boys and men for many years. Those same benefits should be afforded our daughters. It is important for all of us to know that: High school girls who play sports are less likely to be involved in an unintended pregnancy; more likely to get better grades in school and more likely to graduate than girls who do not play sports; Girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and lower levels of depression; Girls and women who play sports have a more positive body image and experience higher states of psychological well-being than girls and women who do not play sports. Sport is where boys have traditionally learned about teamwork, goal-setting, the pursuit of excellence in performance and other achievement-oriented behaviors—critical skills necessary for success in the workplace. In an economic environment where the quality of our children’s lives will be dependent on two-income families, our daughters cannot be less prepared for the highly competitive workplace than our sons. It is no accident that 80% of the female executives at Fortune 500 companies identified themselves as former “tomboys”—having played sports. Right now, however, women who don’t know the written and unwritten rules of sport are at a disadvantage in understanding business models of organization based on sport. How important is it that our daughters learn the same rules as our sons? It’s critical.
Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges, and Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women, opens in a new tab, Women's Sports Foundation, (January 2020). There are distinct and vast benefits to girls’ participation in sport and physical activity at all levels of sport participation from grassroots to professional sport and beyond. Girls and women reap significant benefits from sport participation that are both immediate and long-term. Girls who do not participate in sport are less content with their lives than female sport participants. Sport involvement enhances girls’ quality of life as female athletes often benefit more from sport participation than male athletes. Sport is a favorable domain to support the fostering of leadership skills in girls. Main benefits discussed are physical, social, emotional, and academic.
Physical activity across the life stages, opens in a new tab, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, (2018). This report presents information on the physical activity and sedentary participation rate of Australians across the life stages by age, gender, and other relevant demographic characteristics, reported against Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines.
Why female athletes make winning entrepreneurs, opens in a new tab, EY and espnW, (2017). is there something about sport that primes women for the highstakes world of entrepreneurship? What are the transferable attitudes and behaviors that competitive sport instills? And, more broadly, what can women in the workforce at all levels learn from women who have leapt from the field of play to the founder’s chair? Our discussions with 22 entrepreneurs identified five winning strategies they developed as athletes that give them an edge in launching and scaling their own enterprises: Confidence — in their abilities, even during rough patches; Single-mindedness — an unwavering focus on the challenges ahead; Passion — the determination to succeed in everything they do; Leadership — the ability to lead and inspire a team of likeminded individuals; Resilience — the ability to take failure as “feedback” that will only make them stronger. In this report, we explore each of these attributes and suggest how they can be translated into behaviors that women can adopt to help them start, lead and grow their own companies.
Her Life Depends On It III: Sport, Physical Activity, and the Health and Well-Being of American Girls and Women, opens in a new tab, Staurowsky, E. J., DeSousa, M. J., Miller, K. E., et al., Women’s Sports Foundation, (May 2015). A comprehensive report that reviews existing and emerging research on the links between participation in sport and physical activity and the health and wellbeing of American girls and women. As with the previous editions in 2004 and 2009, this study also confirms that physical activity and sport provides the critical foundation, in no small part, that allows girls and women to lead healthy, strong, and fulfilled lives. The report’s contents reflect the review of 1,500 studies, nearly 400 covered since the previous edition. While the report’s focus continues to be on U.S. girls and women, selected research findings that offer perspective regarding girls and women worldwide is also referenced in order to provide some perspective and context. The research compiled in this updated report strongly suggests that sport and physical activity provide conditions that help to ensure girls’ health and wellbeing (physical, social, psychological, and academic). The full report offers expansive documentation on the impact sport and physical activity has in the lives of girls and women. In this report, we also highlight the emerging areas of research that focus on protecting the health of female athletes and offer insights into the steps that need to be taken to ensure their health and safety. Some important selected findings identified include: Physically active women are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease; have reduced risk of cancer, particularly breast, colon, lung, ovarian, endometrial, and esophageal; improved bone health; less likely to use most illicit drugs; reduced risk of depression and less likely to create a suicide plan; and educational gains.
As a general trend, females across the board, regardless of age, race, or social class, are shortchanged in realizing the benefits of participation in physically challenging activities. However, females from lower economic backgrounds, females of color and females with disabilities suffer even greater negative health consequences as a result of less engagement in physical activity and less access to sport and physical fitness programs.
The health benefits realized from the participation of girls and women in sport and physical activity vary by socioeconomic level and racial/ethnic group. Throughout the report, available findings document health risks and vulnerabilities for females of color as well as for girls and women living in urban and rural settings.
The playing field may help to buffer against some kinds of substance use, such as tobacco or illicit “hard” drugs, while exacerbating the risk of others, such as smokeless tobacco, alcohol, and anabolic androgenic steroids. Traditionally girls have tended to have lower rates of substance use than boys, but the long-standing gender gap is narrowing – especially for those substances that have most typically been closely linked to sports.
Most studies show lower rates of drug use by female athletes compared to their non-athlete peers, suggesting that sports participation may help protect girls against illicit drug use. Explanations for this relationship vary.
Research suggests that under some conditions, athletic participation may reduce risky sexual behaviors in adolescent girls, such as early sexual initiation, multiple sex partners, or unprotected sex. In contrast to the protective effects of sports participation in adolescence, the effects for young adult women are less clear. Several studies have found that female college athletes are actually at higher risk than their non-athlete peers for some forms of unsafe sex, particularly in the context of heavy drinking. Most studies found that athletic participation is associated with reduced odds of teen pregnancy.
Growing numbers of studies are exploring how sports participation may serve to protect girls and women against some mental health risks while considering how it can exacerbate others. All other things being equal, athletes tend to enjoy a greater sense of self-esteem and feel less depression than their sedentary peers. Yet, perhaps because they hold themselves to a more demanding physical standard, athletes are also at greater risk for eating disorders. Moreover, frequent exercise or sports activity may, in some cases, be a red flag for depression, low self-esteem, poor body image, or even suicidality when over-exercise is used as a coping mechanism or a strategy for weight loss. In essence, sports participation in moderation enhances mental health; in excess, it may (literally) be overkill.
Female participation in sport & physical activity, opens in a new tab, VicHealth, (2015). Females of all ages generally have lower physical activity participation rates than males. Increasing physical activity levels for females is important for health and mental wellbeing. Some of the health benefits of sport and physical activity for women identified include: Even having a low level of physical activity is better for health than not being active at all.
Prevention and management of disease, such as: coronary heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia
Increased health, fitness, body and bone strength
Weight loss and prevention of obesity
Reduced risks of mortality
Increased mental health and improved wellbeing
Increase in social connections and enjoyment
Understanding and addressing the barriers preventing more female participation in physical activity is complex. Evidence shows that gender and the needs of females should be considered when developing specific physical activity opportunities.
Sex Differences in Association of Physical Activity With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality, opens in a new tab, Hongwei Ji, Martha Gulati, Tzu Yu Huang, et al., Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 83(8), pp.783-793, (2024). Although physical activity is widely recommended for reducing cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risks, female individuals consistently lag behind male individuals in exercise engagement. In a prospective study of 412,413 U.S. adults (55% female, age 44 ± 17 years) who provided survey data on leisure-time physical activity, we examined sex-specific multivariable-adjusted associations of physical activity measures (frequency, duration, intensity, type) with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality from 1997 through 2019. Men reached their maximal survival benefit of HR 0.81 from 300 min/wk of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, whereas women achieved similar benefit at 140 min/wk and then continued to reach a maximum survival benefit of HR 0.76 also at ∼300 min/wk. Sex-specific findings were similar for cardiovascular death and consistent across all measures of aerobic activity as well as muscle strengthening activity. Women compared with men derived greater gains in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk reduction from equivalent doses of leisure-time physical activity. These findings could enhance efforts to close the “gender gap” by motivating especially women to engage in any regular leisure-time physical activity.
Barriers to Physical Activity for Women with Physical Disabilities: A Systematic Review, opens in a new tab, Jurgi Olasagasti-Ibargoien, Arkaitz Castañeda-Babarro, Patxi León-Guereño, et al., Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, Volume 8(2), 82, (June 2023). Physical activity is essential for women with physical disabilities. This review aims to identify the barriers they face in practicing sport. There is sufficient theoretical evidence on the benefits of sporting activity; in the case of people with disabilities, it contributes to their functional independence, improves their physical condition, performance and physical capacity, favors the prevention and correction of deformities and postural defects, reduces stress, improves self-confidence, emotional state, relationships with others, and enjoyment and interest, among other things. However, a second important finding of this review is that barriers related to physical disability, such as health, mobility, or the degree of dependence on others, also prevent women from practicing sport, thus reducing the possibility of appropriating all the benefits mentioned above.
How Can Sport-Based Interventions Improve Health among Women and Girls? A Scoping Review, opens in a new tab, Maja Pedersen, Abby King, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 20(6), 4818, (March 2023). Sport has been identified by the World Health Organization as an underutilized yet important contributor to global physical activity, by UNESCO as a fundamental right, and by the United Nations as a promising driver for gender equity through improved long-term health of women and girls. Although sport-based interventions have been popularized to advance educational, social, and political development globally, little attention has been given to its impacts on health outcomes among women and girls. We undertook a scoping review of research on sport-based interventions for health among women and girls to summarize current research approaches and findings. PRISMA scoping review guidelines were observed. Online databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were used to identify peer-reviewed records published through August 2022. The interventions identified (n = 4) targeted health outcomes such as gender-based violence, HIV prevention, reproductive health, and child marriage. Based on our review, we recommend four key opportunities to advance the field of sport-based interventions in addressing health equity among women and girls. In addition, we highlight promising future research directions to broaden sport engagement of women and girls, improve long-term health, and build capacity toward health equity.
Detrimental Changes in Health during Menopause: The Role of Physical Activity, opens in a new tab, Ryan Hulteen , Kara Marlatt , Timothy Allerton, et al., International Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume 44(6), pp.389-396, (2023). Midlife women experience changes in cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health during menopause that negatively impacts their overall quality of life. Factors that contribute to these increases in cardiometabolic risk include weight gain as well as increases in fat mass (particularly abdominal adiposity), insulin resistance, and vascular dysfunction. Other deleterious changes in physical health (e. g. reduced sleep health, bone density, and balance) as well as changes in psychosocial health (e. g. mood, anxiety, and depression) often coincide and are linked to these increases in cardiometabolic risk. Physical activity and exercise are important lifestyle components that have been demonstrated to improve cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health, yet physical activity and exercise is known to decline during perimenopause and into the postmenopausal years. In this narrative review, we summarize these changes in overall health during menopause as well as how declining physical activity contributes to these changes. Additionally, we discuss how incorporating physical activity and exercise during menopause can potentially ameliorate health declines. We conclude that there exists a significant, positive impact of physical activity on cardiometabolic, physical, and psychological health among midlife women, particularly if undertaken during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years.
Multicomponent recreational team handball training improves global health status in postmenopausal women at the long term – A randomised controlled trial, opens in a new tab, Rita Pereira, Peter Krustrup, Carlo Castagna, et al., European Journal of Sport Science, Volume 23(8), pp.1789-1799, (2023). We evaluated the long-term effects of a recreational team handball-based multicomponent training on broad-spectrum health and physical fitness markers of inactive postmenopausal women. Improvements in VO2peak and aerobic performance achieved after 16 weeks of training were maintained at 36 weeks. The 20-week extension of the training intervention resulted in further improvements in lipid profile markers and physical fitness variables. Recreational team handball could be suggested as an effective and safe strategy to counteract postmenopausal health-related constraints.
Sport Participation and Academic Performance in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, opens in a new tab, Katherine Owen, Bridget Foley, Katrina Wilhite, et al., Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Volume 54(2), pp.299-306, (February 2022). Our aim was to systematically review and combine via meta-analyses evidence of the association between sport participation and academic performance in children and adolescents. From 115 eligible studies, most of which had a high risk of bias (k = 87), we meta-analyzed 298 effect sizes. While gender specific data is not discussed, overall, sport participation had a small positive effect on academic performance. Moderator analyses indicated that sports participation was most beneficial for academic performance when it was at a moderate dose (i.e., 1–2 h·wk−1), compared with no sport or a high dose of sport (3+ h·wk−1). Sports participation during school hours was more beneficial for academic performance compared with sport participation outside school hours. Based on mostly low-quality studies, we found some evidence that sport could positively affect academic performance in children and adolescents. It appears that sport participation of a moderate dose and at school could be used to promote academic performance. However, if this field were to inform policy, high-quality studies are needed that provide insight into the effect of dose and sport characteristics on academic performance.
Taking a Health Perspective on Roller Derby: A Qualitative Exploration of Women’s Experiences, opens in a new tab, Jane Scullion, Cathy Bulley, women, Volume 2(1), (January 2022). Although far fewer women exercise regularly than men, one women-dominated sport growing in popularity internationally is roller derby. A limited number of predominantly US-based and qualitative studies have explored roller derby. This Scotland-based qualitative study explored reasons for women starting, continuing, and stopping participation in roller derby in order to inform people involved in promoting physical activity for health benefits. Semi-structured interviews with six participants from a Scottish women’s roller derby league were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis generated five super-ordinate themes. Most participants learned about roller derby from watching the sport on film, attending a bout (game), or word of mouth. The main motivators and benefits of participating in this sport were found to be challenge, enjoyment, increased confidence, health benefits, and motivation to exercise. Participants were empowered by involvement and motivated by community, team spirit, and support to develop. Despite high commitment, some women could not sustain team involvement due to barriers such as injury, changing life roles, and conflicting commitments—a lack of support was described when this happened. Greater inclusivity is needed to enable changing levels of participation as women’s commitments change, to facilitate ongoing health benefits and inspire others.
Yarning with the Stars Project: An Indigenous evaluation protocol for a sport for development and peace program, opens in a new tab, Rose Whitau, Helen Ockerby, Journal of Sport for Development, Volume 7(13), pp.46-54, (September 2019). In Australia, the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their non-Indigenous peers is significant in terms of attendance, retention to Year 12, and literacy and numeracy skills, with the gap widening in regional and remote contexts. School-based, “academy-style” engagement programs work to close this gap by providing holistic support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students while requiring a certain level of school attendance by program participants. Shooting Stars is an engagement program based in seven remote and regional schools in Western Australia, where it uses netball and other incentives to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls in their education, while promoting their health and wellbeing. Shooting Stars evaluates the efficacy of its services through collation of attendance data, participant case studies, and yarning circles. The methods used in the yarning circles research were developed over 18 months in collaboration with Shooting Stars participants, localized Shooting Stars steering committees, and Shooting Stars staff. This paper presents the evaluation protocols for the Shooting Stars program, focusing on the yarning circles’ methods in order to provide a framework or model of Indigenous evaluation methods for others working within this space.
Physical Activity and Sports—Real Health Benefits: A Review with Insight into the Public Health of Sweden, opens in a new tab, Christer Malm, Johan Jakobsson, Andreas Isaksson, sports, Volume 7(5), 127, (May 2019). Positive effects from sports are achieved primarily through physical activity, but secondary effects bring health benefits such as psychosocial and personal development and less alcohol consumption. This narrative review summarizes research and presents health-related data from Swedish authorities. Aerobic physical activity has been shown to benefit weight maintenance after prior weight loss, reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, normalize blood lipids, and help with cancer/cancer-related side effects (Table 2 and Table 3), while effects on chronic pain are not as clear. Muscle-strengthening physical activity has, in contrast to aerobic exercise, been shown to reduce muscle atrophy, risk of falling, and osteoporosis in the elderly. Among the elderly, both men and women adapt positively to strength training. Strength training also prevents obesity, enhances cognitive performance if done alongside aerobic exercise, counteracts the development of neurodegenerative diseases, reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, counteracts cancer/cancer-related side effects, reduces pain and disability in joint diseases, and enhances bone density.
Girls on the Run: Impact of a Physical Activity Youth Development: Program on Psychosocial and Behavioral Outcomes, opens in a new tab, Maureen Weiss, Lindsay Kipp, Alison Phillips Reichter, et al., Pediatric Exercise Science, Volume 31, pp.330-340, (2019). Girls on the Run is an after-school physical activity-based positive youth development program designed to enhance girls’ social, psychological, and physical development. We evaluated the effectiveness of the program by employing a longitudinal design and mixed methods. Girls (N = 203; aged 8–11 y) completed survey measures of positive youth development constructs (competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring), physical activity, and sedentary behavior prior to, at the end of, and 3 months after the season. Subsamples of girls, coaches, caregivers, and school personnel participated in focus groups. Coaches completed information about their team’s community impact project and number of girls who completed the season-ending 5k. The full sample improved in confidence and connection, whereas girls who started below the preseason average showed the greatest gains from preseason to postseason on all measures, and scores were maintained or continued to improve at follow-up. All stakeholders in focus groups corroborated evidence of season-long improvement in social and emotional behaviors and health outcomes. Involvement in the community impact project contributed to girls’ growth in character and empathy skills. Findings provide empirical evidence that Girls on the Run is effective in promoting positive youth development, including season-long and lasting change in competence, confidence, connection, character, caring, and physical activity, especially among girls who exhibited lower preseason scores than their peers.
The Effect of Sport on the Level of Positivity and Well-Being in Adolescents Engaged in Sport Regularly, opens in a new tab, Yakup Bakir, Murat Kangalgil, Journal of Education and Training Studies, Volume 5(11), pp.98-104, (2017). Sport, an element of universal culture, is a prominent tool that brings individuals with different languages, races and religions together. Sport is generally defined as activities that positively affect the psychological health of people and bring about social and moral benefits besides its physical benefits. Mental well-being is defined as the individual's awareness of their own abilities, their abilities to overcome stress in life, being productive and useful in business life and contributing to community via the their ability (WHO, 2004). Positivity is defined as the main determinant of subjective well-being and is expressed as a tendency to evaluate all aspects of life that is already good. This study aimed to investigate whether sport is effective on mental well-being and positivity. The study group is composed by forming 3 groups of 20 students from 10th grade students. The groups were equalled in terms of some variables like age, gender, sports background etc. The groups were called as the sports activities group, social activities group and the control group. While the participants in the experimental group were engaged in regular and scheduled sports activities including training and contests, the participants in the social activities group engaged in regular social activities. The participants in the control group led their routine lives. After a period of 10 weeks, the tests given at the beginning of the study were administrated again, and test scores of the students in all three groups were compared. According to the results, while there was an increase in the mental well-being scores of the sports activity and social activity groups, there was a decrease in the mental well-being scores of the control group. In the study, when the positivity and mental well-being scores of the students in all three groups according to gender were compared, the difference between the groups was not found significant.
Physical activity in European adolescents and associations with anxiety, depression and well-being, opens in a new tab, Elaine McMahon, Paul Corcoran, Grace O’Regan, et al., European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Volume 26, pp.111–122, (2017). In this cross-sectional study, physical activity, sport participation and associations with well-being, anxiety and depressive symptoms were examined in a large representative sample of European adolescents. A school-based survey was completed by 11,110 adolescents from ten European countries who took part in the SEYLE (Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe) study. The questionnaire included items assessing physical activity, sport participation and validated instruments assessing well-being (WHO-5), depressive symptoms (BDI-II) and anxiety (SAS). Multi-level mixed effects linear regression was used to examine associations between physical activity/sport participation and mental health measures. A minority of the sample (17.9 % of boys and 10.7 % of girls) reported sufficient activity based on WHO guidelines (60 min + daily). The mean number of days of at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity in the past 2 weeks was 7.5 ± 4.4 among boys and 5.9 days ± 4.3 among girls. Frequency of activity was positively correlated with well-being and negatively correlated with both anxiety and depressive symptoms, up to a threshold of moderate frequency of activity. In a multi-level mixed effects model more frequent physical activity and participation in sport were both found to independently contribute to greater well-being and lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in both sexes. Increasing activity levels and sports participation among the least active young people should be a target of community and school-based interventions to promote well-being. There does not appear to be an additional benefit to mental health associated with meeting the WHO-recommended levels of activity.
Women, Sports, and Development: Does It Pay to Let Girls Play?, opens in a new tab Barbara Kotschwar, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Policy Briefs 14-8, (March 2014). This Policy Brief reviews the evidence that young women and youth in general who participate in sports are more likely to attain educational success and specifically that girls who play sports do better in school, suffer fewer health problems, achieve more in areas dominated by men, such as science, and hold better jobs as adults. The trend is especially striking among girls from minority groups, who appear to experience greater social and economic mobility, more confidence, and even more personal safety if they have participated in sports. While much of the evidence on girls’ sports participation is preliminary or anecdotal, it is clear that girls benefit from engaging in sports and net the same positive gains available to boys who do so. Bridging the gap in girls’ sports participation will expedite and enhance countries’ gender equity gains.
The Effects of a Community and School Sport-Based Program on Urban Indigenous Adolescents’ Life Skills and Physical Activity Levels: The SCP Case Study, opens in a new tab, Louisa Peralta, Donna O’Connor, Wayne Cotton, et al., Health, Volume 6(18), (2014). The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a community and school sport program (SCP) on Indigenous adolescents’ life skills and physical activity levels within program sessions. A secondary aim was to determine the acceptability of the SCP. The objective of the SCP is to encourage improved educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students using sport. Such outcomes may include an increase in school attendance, strengthened engagement with school, improved attitudes to schooling and improved achievement in learning. A recent evaluation of these outcomes found that the SCP is meeting these objectives with girls reporting a 11.5% increase and boys reporting a 15.4% increase in attendance since joining the SCP, more than 90% reporting a positive attitude towards school, 90% of lower secondary students maintaining or improving literacy levels and 92% maintaining or improving numeracy understanding. This study highlights the need for partnerships between Indigenous community organisations and schools to design sport-based programs to promote Indigenous adolescents’ MVPA.
Participation in Vigorous Sports, Not Moderate Sports, Is Positively Associated With Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among Adolescent Girls, opens in a new tab, Daniel R. Taber, Charlotte Pratt, Eileen Y. Charneco, et al., Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Volume 11(3), pp.596-603, (2014). There is controversy regarding whether moderately-intense sports can improve physical fitness, which declines throughout adolescence among girls. The objective was to estimate the association between moderate and vigorous sports participation and cardiorespiratory fitness in a racially diverse sample of adolescent girls. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using a modified physical work capacity test in 1029 eighth-grade girls participating in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls. Girls reported sports in which they participated in the last year on an organized activity questionnaire. Using general linear mixed models, the study regressed absolute and relative fitness on the number of vigorous and moderate sports in which girls participated, race/ethnicity, age, treatment group, fat mass, fat-free mass, and an interaction between race and fat-free mass. The number of vigorous sports in which girls participated was positively associated with absolute fitness and relative fitness. Associations were reduced, but not eliminated, after controlling for MET-weighted MVPA. Participation in moderate sports was not associated with either fitness measure. The authors conclude that vigorous sports participation is positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. Future longitudinal research should analyze whether promoting vigorous sports at an early age can prevent age-related declines in cardiorespiratory fitness among adolescent girls.
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, opens in a new tab, Rochelle Eime, Janet Young, Jack Harvey, et al., International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Volume 10, Article 98, (August 2013). This paper first presents the results of a systematic review of the psychological and social health benefits of participation in sport by children and adolescents. A total of 3668 publications were initially identified, of which 30 met the selection criteria. There were many different psychological and social health benefits reported, with the most commonly being improved self-esteem, social interaction followed by fewer depressive symptoms. Sport may be associated with improved psychosocial health above and beyond improvements attributable to participation in PA. Specifically, team sport seems to be associated with improved health outcomes compared to individual activities, due to the social nature of the participation. For girls some of the benefits identified in the literature included: sport club activities had a positive influence on the development of self-esteem; one study found that the relationship between achievement and self-esteem was partially mediated by girls’ perceptions of competence and interest in team sport, and mastery in team sport contributed to global self-esteem development; A US study in which high school students were interviewed at two time points one year apart, showed that for females, but not for males, team sport involvement was protective against depressed mood state associated with poor school performance.
An Evaluation of the Wheelchair Tennis Development Fund, opens in a new tab, Richardson E and Papathomas A, Loughborough University, (2013). This report evaluates the social and personal development impact of the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Wheelchair Tennis Development Fund (WTDF). This is one of the first scientific studies of its kind to investigate how participation in wheelchair tennis through this program affects the lives of those individuals involved. The program operates in 39 countries. The study found that involvement in wheelchair tennis led to numerous psychological and social benefits, which transferred into other domains of life. The psychological benefits included increased self-confidence and empowerment (particularly for women), increased opportunities for independence, and improved perceptions of persons with a disability. The program also created opportunities, such as sports scholarships for competitors and career pathways in coaching. Wheelchair tennis was also shown to have the potential to improve an individual’s self-perception. “I had a negative mentality” said one participant, “But, as time goes, I grow up and I realise that I don’t have to be ashamed of myself or who I am”. Players involved in the WTDF experience reported an improved social life, both through making friends and as a result of greater self-confidence. Participants felt wanted, supported, and worthy of someone else’s time. The program also helps to challenge the view society takes on disability.
Access to resources
Where possible, direct links to full-text and online resources are provided. However, where links are not available, you may be able to access documents directly by searching our licenced full-text databases (note: user access restrictions apply). Alternatively, you can ask your institutional, university, or local library for assistance—or purchase documents directly from the publisher. You may also find the information you’re seeking by searching Google Scholar, opens in a new tab.
Physical, mental, and social wellbeing

Physical wellbeing

Social and mental wellbeing

Resources and reading

Articles

Reports

Research

Working together for Australian sport
