Watching sports has been found to have a significant positive impact on mental and physical health, according to recent research. The act of watching sports not only entertains but also fosters a sense of community and belonging, which can greatly boost an individual’s well-being and benefit society as a whole.
Associate Professor Shintaro Sato from Waseda University’s Faculty of Sport Sciences, along with Assistant Professor Keita Kinoshita from Nanyang Technological University and Dr. Kento Nakagawa from Waseda University’s Faculty of Human Sciences, conducted a pioneering study to explore the link between watching sports and well-being. Their research, published in the Sports Management Review, aimed to clarify this relationship through a comprehensive approach.
The study consisted of three key parts. Firstly, a large-scale analysis of data from 20,000 Japanese residents confirmed a correlation between regular sports viewing and increased well-being. Secondly, an online survey involving 208 participants showed that popular sports like baseball had a more significant impact on enhancing well-being compared to less popular sports like golf.
The most groundbreaking part of the research was the third study, which used neuroimaging techniques to observe changes in brain activity after participants watched sports clips. The study revealed that watching sports activated the brain’s reward circuits, linked to feelings of happiness and pleasure. Structural image analysis also showed that frequent sports viewers had greater gray matter volume in areas associated with these reward circuits, suggesting long-term benefits for individuals.
The implications of this research extend beyond personal advantages to the broader field of sports management and public health. Encouraging the public to engage more with sports broadcasting could be a strategic move for health policymakers, leveraging the widespread appeal and accessibility of sports to address public health objectives effectively. This study highlights the potential of sports to play a crucial role in improving public health and well-being.