sport is bad for you

Monday, 22 June 2009


China Post: Sports for all

Sports are bad.

Worse still, Taiwan is about to enter a period of unprecedented sporting activity. But all is not lost. In fact, with a little effort, central and regional governments can turn the situation to the nation's advantage.

Sports are not just bad for the individual, but they are also bad for society and the nation as a whole. This is not referring to the broken bones of downhill skiers or to the fractured egos of prima donna football stars. This is also not referring to participation sports at any level. Participating in sports is good for the individual and arguably good for the wider society.
What's bad is the watching of excessive amounts of sports.

There has been an explosion in sports audiences over the last few decades,
[clause removed, which had slipped in by mistake] matched by a concurrent decline in sporting participation. This is lamentable, as prolonged sitting on a sofa or stadium seat is bad for the lower spine, though not as bad perhaps as the consumption of the sugar-and-caffeine-laden fizzy drinks and fat-filled fast food — and previously tobacco and alcohol products too — that are commonly advertised at major sporting events.

Furthermore, with nothing more exciting offered than the sight of swimmers slogging relentlessly up and down the pool or footballers kicking a synthetic pig bladder back and forth for 90 minutes, boredom takes over and audiences engage in partisan support, which is the slippery slope toward petty nationalism. This is negative, divisive, and exacerbates tensions between different social groups. The effects of watching sports are, therefore, in direct contrast to those of participating in sports.

For the individual concerned, regular sporting activity lowers the risk of contracting coronary, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. There are also clear benefits to joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons, while improved metabolism helps regulate hormones and prevent diseases such as late-onset diabetes. Probably the greatest gains are in psychological health, with clear evidence of reduced anxiety and depression.

Participation in sports gives individuals increased self-confidence and self-esteem, which are especially valuable to the rising numbers of Taiwan's unemployed — officially almost 6 percent but probably significantly higher — and teaches transferable skills such as goal identification and realization, and dealing magnanimously with winning and coping generously with losing.

Partner and team sports improve leadership, management, communication and socialization skills, and teach tolerance and respect for others. Proficiency in inter-group relations learned through sports produces tangible improvements in community integration, something Taiwan could well use. And although the causes of criminality are not easy to analyze, preliminary evidence suggests that sports can play a role in reducing crime, particularly among young people.

Increased health of individuals means fewer hospital visits and reduced demands on Taiwan's ailing National Health Insurance program, as well as fewer days off work. Participation in sports is therefore good for both public and private purses.

With these considerations in mind, it was not surprising that when the organizers of next month's World Games in Kaohsiung and September's Summer Deaflympics in Taipei went cap-in-hand to their respective councils and the central government, they argued that hosting international sporting events leaves a positive legacy. With so many role models on show, they said, Taiwanese would forego their KTVs, beers and cigarettes for sports facilities and isotonic drinks.

But the correlation between watching sports and subsequently participating in sports is not clear. Organizers and government agencies must do more to capitalize on these world-class events. After securing public financial support, most of the organizers' pronouncements have focused on how hosting these events helps put Taiwan on the map, and how the facilities will help attract more such events in the future.

One of the key challenges is to assist young people to continue after graduation the sporting habit they pick up in school. This problem is particularly acute in Taiwan, given the hours of overtime typically required in entry-level jobs. Bosses as well as workers need education about the benefits gained from reduced work time and encouraging healthy activities.

A second problem is the class-divide in sports. Getting people on lower salaries to commit a sizable slice of their income to improving their health is a tough ask. Swimming, as a low impact sport, is the best fitness program for rehabilitating long-term sloths and chubbies. Taipei City recently opened the Xinyi Sports Center, the eighth of twelve such flagship facilities. The NT$110 cost for using the pool is a deterrent to many. The key to health is regular exercise, which translates to three swims a week at least. It's no wonder that most pools in Taiwan are the territory of the middle aged and middle class.

While it is encouraging that this summer's sporting extravaganzas will help put Taiwan on the world stage, organizers and government agencies should devise ways to promote the events' real “health legacy.”

While enjoying the games, don't forget to get up and stretch occasionally.