Sport plays an important role in modern society. Roughly ten million Dutch people do at least some sport. But levels of participation could be better. In particular, many children don’t get enough exercise and would benefit from being encouraged to do more. But just why is sport so important? Everyone knows that it’s healthy. But how else is it good for us?
It is known that physical exercise has a positive effect on both physical and mental health. Within the Sport and Therapy research theme, we seek to determine how sport and exercise can best be used in various settings to promote mental health. Our researchers also work to identify ways of improving exercise education.
Exercise, Health and Welfare
How do exercise and physical experience interact with health and welfare? And how can psychosocial problems be managed or negated by interventions that focus on exercise and physical experience?
Exercise, School and Sport
Research activities in the field of Exercise, School and Sport are aimed at the acquisition of knowledge regarding the exercise habits of children, young people and adults in the school environment, in sports clubs and in other recreational settings. What, for example, is the relationship between sports clubs and exercise education in school?