Sport Involvement Analysis in Hungary, in the North Great Plain Region

Abstract

On a global level, a healthy lifestyle is experienced more where sport and physical activityas a way of life has gained more importance. European Union documents (such as the White Paperon Sport—2007) further stressed the important role of physical activity, and member states havedeclared the same opinion. Almost all scientific research approaches the topic by measuring thesport-related activity rate and incidence. The findings of Eurobarometer (2014) revealed that 41%of responding European citizens pursue some kinds of sport or do some form of body movementonce a week, while 59% rarely or never do. In Hungary, compared to the findings of 2009, activityimproved. Still, 44% of Hungarian citizens never undertake any sports activity. Pursuing sport andshowing interests in a more active lifestyle are indicators that may truly reflect the social connectionbetween sport and the society itself, and we may apply both terms in the framework of engagement.These terms lead us to the topic of sport related involvement, including social, psychological, andeconomic dimensions. In a large sample representative survey, carried out among Hungarian peoplein the North Great plain region, we aimed to reveal the specifications of sport engagement and ourempirical findings have proved a very strong connection between sport and the population itself.