The FINANCIAL — A new NPR/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health poll finds that although almost three in four adults played sports when they were younger (73%), only one in four (25%) continue to play sports as adults.
But that decline in interest doesn’t stop parents from encouraging their children to make sports a part of their lives. In fact, almost nine in ten parents whose middle school or high school aged child plays sports (89%) say that their child benefits a great deal or quite a bit from participating in sports.
And, while most adults no longer play sports themselves, the majority of parents (72%) whose child plays sports say it is very likely or somewhat likely that their child will continue participating in sports when he/she becomes an adult. One in four parents (26%) whose high school aged child plays sports also hope their child will become a professional athlete.
When parents were asked about the benefits that their middle school or high school aged child gets from playing sports, more than eight in ten parents whose child plays sports say their child benefits a great deal or quite a bit in his/her physical health (88%) and helping him/her learn about discipline or dedication (81%). More than seven in ten parents say that playing sports benefits their child a great deal or quite a bit in learning how to get along with other people (78%) and his/her mental health (73%). More than half of parents report playing sports benefits their child a great deal or quite a bit in giving him/her skills to help in future schooling (56%), and giving him/her skills to help in a future career (55%).
Parents believe their children benefit from playing sports Among the 72% of parents who said their middle or high school aged child played sports in the past year, % saying child benefited ‘a great deal’ or ‘quite a bit’ in the following ways:
Benefits child’s physical health 88%
Gives child something to do 83%
Child learns about discipline or dedication 81%
Child learns how to get along with other people 78%
Benefits child’s mental health 73%
Benefits child’s social life 65%
Gives child skills to help in future schooling 56%
Gives child skills to help in future career 55%
“Sports are a critical component of a healthy community. They help children and adults maintain a healthy weight, teach acceptance and teamwork, and expand opportunity for children living in poverty,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “This poll indicates that we must continue to encourage children to play sports, but just as important, we must find ways to keep adults engaged in sports in order to maintain health and well-being.”
Majority of adults who play sports say it has improved their health
Of those adults who play sports, more than half report that it has reduced their stress (58%), improved their mental health (54%), or improved their physical health (51%) a great deal or quite a bit.
“When adults play sports, it’s about competition, personal satisfaction, and health. More than one in five adults who play sports do so for health-related reasons, and it’s a priority in their lives,” said Robert J. Blendon, Richard L. Menschel Professor of Health Policy and Political Analysis at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
For adults who play sports, how they play is important to them. The majority of adults who play sports (56%) say that winning is important to them, and the vast majority who play sports (85%) say their performance is important to them.
Women and older adults less likely to play sports
One in four adults (25%) in the U.S. currently play sports. When asked the sport they play most often, adults report playing more than 50 different types of sports. There is a significant gender gap in sports participation among adults, but not among children. Men are more than twice as likely as women (35% to 16%) to say they play sports.
The top five sports played by men most often (including ties) are golf, basketball, soccer, baseball/softball, football, and running or track. The top five sports played by women most often are running or track, baseball/softball, tennis, volleyball, and swimming.
There is a sharp decline in sports participation among adults as they age. While 40% of 18- 21 year olds and 41% of 22-25 year olds currently play sports, only 26% of 26-49 year olds play sports, and just 20% of adults aged 50+ play sports.
Health is the top reason adults exercise today
About half of adults (48%) say they do vigorous- or moderate-intensity exercise on a regular basis. The vast majority of adults who exercise report doing so for health-related reasons (71%), including to improve health, get into or stay in shape, or lose weight. Adults who exercise are more likely to have higher incomes, more education, and tend to be younger than adults who do not exercise.
When adults who regularly did any vigorous- or moderate-intensity exercise in the past year were asked the type of exercise they did most often, the top five most frequently reported forms of exercise were walking (27% of adults who exercise), cardio/aerobic activities (23%), running or jogging (15%), weight lifting (12%), and biking (6%).
“Despite the known health benefits of sports and exercise, more than four in ten Americans haven’t done either in the last year,” said Blendon.
Nearly four in ten lower-income parents hope their child will become a professional athlete
Despite the difficult odds, nearly four in ten (39%) parents with household incomes of less than $50,000 a year say they hope their child will become a professional athlete. Just 20% of parents with household incomes of $50,000 or more a year share this hope.
Parents who are less well-off are also twice as likely to report problems with the costs of their child’s sports compared to parents who are better-off. When parents whose child plays sports were asked about problems that make it difficult for their child to continue participating, about one in three parents (32%) who are less well-off (household incomes less than $50,000 a year) say that sports cost too much, while just one in six parents (16%) who are better-off (household incomes $50,000 or more a year) say that sports cost too much.
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