Ein Beitrag zur Beschreibung des Zusammenhangs von sportlicher Aktivität, Risikoverhalten und gesundheitsbezogener Lebensqualität am Beispiel von 4 Sportarten

Abstract

The saying "Do sport and you will stay healthy" is as famous as Winston Churchill"s dictum "no sports", which is to express that the unconditional use of sporting activity is definitely arguable. Exactly this issue was to be taken up in this dissertation, in which the correlation between sporting activity, risk behaviour and health-related quality of life has been analysed and described by taking the example of the sports golf, soccer, climbing and Nordic walking.

The data is based on answers from 1,007 questionnaires that were dealt with and handed back by 200 to 300 participants per type of sport. Each questionnaire contained questions about personal details, health and injuries, activities, sport and leisure activities, risk behaviour (Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking) as well as health-related quality of life (Short Form 36).

The analysis showed that sportsmen have a much more pronounced health consciousness than non-sportsmen do. For example the percentage of smokers within the total population is about 33%, while in soccer and golf it only amounts to 23%, in climbing to 16% and in Nordic walking to 8%. As compared to the general population, sportsmen altogether suffer less often from cardiovascular diseases by 33% and from mental diseases by 80%, while diseases of the immune system partially occur more often. Sportsmen show higher results in the physical scales measuring the health-related quality of life compared to the norm.

Some sports may be associated with a higher risk of physical injuries but seem to be associated with mental diseases significantly less often. Sport"s benefit for health is not to be questioned by this. The fact that mental diseases occur considerably less often should give reason to take up again the discussion about the social significance of sport. With mental diseases increasing enormously, the correlation between sport, mental health and a low physical health risk is more than up to date.