ABSTRACT
Research in the areas of sport and health communication have become one of the most quickly growing areas in mass communication scholarship in the last two decades. While research in either discipline represents a rich and diverse area for empirical investigation, the combination of the two is often overlooked. By its very nature, sport, participation in sport, and sporting activities are directly tied to health. An individual’s health can be directly affected by involvement or participation in sport and sporting activities (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996; Croll et al., 2006). While the link between the two seems obvious, research in the combined areas is not as distinct. The overarching question for consideration is how the two are interrelated and what is known from the research about the intersection of sport and health communication. This chapter explores sport in its role in health communication, examining the way health communication is directly related to sport. Through exploring statistics and research on health, health disparities, and the correlates related to improved health in children and adults, the way sport and physical activity can serve as functions of improved health can be uncovered. Certainly, as the rates of overweight and obesity rise or remain stable rather than decline (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015), a closer examination of the intersection between health and sport is warranted.
