A/HRC/32/33 Cultural Organization) recognizes that the practice of physical education, physical activity and sport is a fundamental right for every human being, without discrimination. Equal participation in sport as a right has also been recognized in article 13 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and in article 30 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 6. Moreover, in 2004, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, of the World Health Organization (WHO), which outlines actions that must be taken by various actors to foster participation in physical activity. 7. The present report primarily considers participation in sport and physical activity, and the right to health. Other lifestyle factors, such as the avoidance of unhealthy foods, are beyond the scope of the report, and will be discussed to the extent that they are connected to sport and healthy lifestyles. Sport, physical activity and health 8. It has been estimated that over 7 per cent of deaths annually are attributable to low levels of physical activity, along with more than 4 per cent of years of life lost due to disability (disability-adjusted life years).6 Physical inactivity is estimated as being responsible for up to 25 per cent of cases of breast and colon cancer, 27 per cent of cases of diabetes and 30 per cent of cases of ischaemic heart disease.7 Conversely, participation in physical activity and sport has numerous beneficial effects. Physical activity reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer, improves levels of highdensity cholesterol, reduces blood pressure, and improves blood glucose level control among the overweight.8 Physical activity also reduces the risk of depression and is a vital aspect of energy balance and weight control.9 Accordingly, WHO has developed the Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, which are designed to provide guidance on the optimal and the minimum levels of exercise that individuals should partake in to accrue these health benefits. 9. There is no universal definition for “sport”, as a separate concept to that of physical activity. Sport has been defined as “all forms of physical activity that contribute to physical fitness, mental well-being and social interaction”, including play, recreation, casual, organized or competitive sport, and indigenous sport or games. 10 In the present report, “sport” refers to competitive or organized sport involving physical activity; it is considered a subset of “physical activity”, which refers to bodily movement that is not necessarily competitive or organized (e.g. walking or cycling for transport or recreation). 10. The benefits of sport, over and above unstructured physical activity, have not yet been fully ascertained, and more research is required in this area. However, preliminary findings indicate that a larger quantum of health benefit is gained from low-to-moderate participation in team sports than in more individual activities such as walking or gymnasium use.11 Positive psychological outcomes, including improved well-being and 6 7 8 9 10 11 4 Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, The Global Burden of Disease: Generating Evidence, Guiding Policy (Seattle, 2013). WHO, Global Health Risks: Mortality and Burden of Disease Attributable to Selected Major Risks (2009). WHO, Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (2004). WHO, Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health (2010). UNICEF, Protecting Children from Violence in Sport (2010). Rochelle Eime and others, “Does sports club participation contribute to health-related quality of life?” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 42, No. 5 (December 2009).