Defining healthOne of the most widely-used definitions of health is that of the WHO, which defines health as: “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. This definition goes well beyond a condition of physical health but includes mental health and general well-being.Physical activity and healthSport and physical activity has long been used as a tool to improve mental, physical and social well-being.Physical inactivity is a major risk factor associated with a large number of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Sport projects that specifically focus on health outcomes generally emphasise:

The promotion of healthy lifestyle choices among children and young people as well as adults to combat inactivity;The use of sport as a tool to raise awareness on communicable diseases in developing countries, for example, through district or national health campaigns supported by athletes and sports competitions;The use of sport as a didactical tool to communicate vital health-related information to ‘at risk’ groups;The use of sport to mobilise hard-to-reach groups as part of large-scale health campaigns, including for example, communities with low population density;Sport is considered to contribute to achieving mental health objectives, including addressing depression and stress-related disorders.

Source: https://www.sportanddev.org/