Sport is a fundamental pillar for people's psycho-physical well-being, playing a crucial role in maintaining overall well-being, which involves both body and mind. The ancients had already perfectly summarized the connection between these two elements in the famous saying "mens sana in corpore sano", highlighting that reciprocal well-being creates a virtuous circle.
Corporate
Sport: an ally for health and psycho-physical well-being
In Italy, as in the rest of Europe, sports participation is playing an increasingly important role in people's daily lives. However, the number of individuals who regularly engage in physical activity remains too low. According to the latest data from the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS), Italy ranks 21st out of 27 countries in terms of the percentage of adults who participate in sports activities during their leisure time. Only 26.7% of Italian adults engage in aerobic physical activity at least once a week, while this percentage rises to 44.3% among the European adult population.
These findings align with recent data from the Italian National Institute of Health, indicating that physical inactivity is responsible for 9% of cardiovascular diseases, 11% of type 2 diabetes cases, 16% of breast cancer cases, and 16% of colorectal cancer cases. The Value of Sport Observatory, promoted by The European House-Ambrosetti, has estimated the annual healthcare cost of physical inactivity in Italy at 3.8 billion euros. This figure encompasses both direct and indirect costs and represents 1.7% of the total healthcare expenditure in the country.
The challenge we face today is to promote sports participation and increase the number of people who regularly engage in physical activity. Establishing a healthy habit in this regard is a fundamental tool for prevention, as the benefits for mental and physical health are numerous: physical exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, known as "happiness hormones," which contribute to improving mood and reducing stress and depression. In addition, it promotes the development of social skills, resilience, and self-esteem, while also enhancing concentration and creativity. From a physical standpoint, sports help maintain muscle tone and mobility over the years, and also have significant benefits for the body, such as helping to reduce blood pressure and control blood glucose and cholesterol levels, contributing to the prevention of metabolic, cardiovascular, neoplastic, and arthritic diseases.
In these days, two important events remind us of these issues: the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, celebrated on April 6th, and World Health Day, the following day.
IBSA Italy, which has caring for people at its core, has also been promoting the values of sport since 2019, when it began to partner with some important players in the Italian sports scene, with a particular focus on the world of basketball, football, sailing, and rugby.
In addition to its sports partnerships, IBSA Italy has created the IBSA Games, a corporate welfare project that offers all employees the opportunity to participate in company tournaments such as beach volleyball, padel, and table tennis. This is a way to get involved, build camaraderie among colleagues, and have fun in a healthy and clean way. This commitment aims to bring sport closer to people, promoting the benefits of physical activity at all ages, thanks to initiatives in the local area.
Inspired by the global goals of Agenda 2030, IBSA Italy pursues Sustainable Development Goal number 3: Good Health and Well-being. We have always supported the community and our employees by offering effective, safe, and accessible therapies. We put the patient at the center to respond concretely to care needs, valuing the person beyond the disease. Improving the quality of life and well-being of our employees is at the heart of our culture.