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Informal sport is a growth area of sport participation but there has been limited examination of how informal and unstructured forms of participation may contribute to health outcomes that are important for public health. This article aims to address the current lack of data examining the health outcomes associated with informal sport participation and consider the potential role of informal sport within efforts to promote healthier communities through sport. The article seeks to broaden understanding of how informal sport participation can contribute to health outcomes, particularly with regard to increasing physical activity and enhancing mental health and social connection. The article discusses the findings of an Australian mixed-method study that draws on observation, survey, interview and focus group data to examine the prospective health and social benefits of informal sport participation for adults. The findings demonstrate that informal sport participation can contribute to physical and mental health outcomes and facilitate social connection. Analysis of the observation data enabled an examination of the economic value of informal sport in relation to the health benefits it affords. The study provides valuable evidence of the value of informal sport for enhancing community health and broadens understanding of how sport can be utilized as a health promotion resource. The article concludes by suggesting that through leveraging existing infrastructure and the self-organizing aspects of informal sport, local government and health stakeholders can harness its potential to improve public health outcomes and address health inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood sport participation is associated with physical, social, and mental health benefits, which are more likely to be realized if the sport environment is safe. However, our understanding of children's experience of psychological, physical, and sexual violence in community sport in Australia is limited. The aims of this study were to provide preliminary evidence on the extent of experiences of violence during childhood participation in Australian community sport and to identify common perpetrators of and risk factors for violence. The Violence Towards Athletes Questionnaire (VTAQ) was administered online to a convenience sample of Australian adults (>18 years), retrospectively reporting experiences of violence during childhood community sport. Frequencies of experience of violence were calculated and Chi-square tests were conducted to determine differences between genders. In total, there were 886 respondents included in the analysis. Most survey respondents were women (63%) and about a third were men (35%). About 82% of respondents experienced violence in sport as a child. Psychological violence was most prevalent (76%), followed by physical (66%) and sexual (38%) violence. Peers perpetrated the highest rates of psychological violence (69%), and the rates of physical and psychological violence by coaches (both >50%) were also high. Age, sexual orientation, disability, and hours of weekly sport participation as a child were all associated with childhood experience of violence in sport. The rates of interpersonal violence against children in sport were high. This novel data on perpetrators of the violence and the risk factors for experiencing violence provides further context to inform safeguarding strategies in sport. A national prevalence study is recommended to advance our understanding of the childhood experiences of violence in Australian sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]