Watching Soccer Could Have Multiple Health Benefits, Study Suggests

A new study that concludes watching soccer has multiple health benefits is due to be released soon.

Soccer fans would surely be thrilled after learning that watching games does more than just entertain. This is what a new study led by the University of Leeds suggests, and the research is “due to be released soon,” CNN Sport reported.

The recent study revealed that watching intense soccer games has a positive impact to human body. In the experiment, researchers reportedly monitored 25 Leeds United fans, aged between 20 and 62, throughout three key games during the championship last season.

One game was watched in a controlled environment, while participants watched the other two live in the stadium during the team's crucial playoff finals, specifically with the English Premier League at stake.

The researchers studied the participants' heart rates before the game, during halftime and after the match. And what they have found out was that there’s a 17 percent average heart rate increase.

But more importantly, the results revealed that an increased heart rate throughout the game led to "positive stress," which is similar to what happens during a moderate cardiovascular workout. This led to scientists suggesting that watching soccer can really have a positive health benefit.

As for psychological impact, each participant was in a positive mood for at least 24 hours after a win. And as expected, a loss resulted in an extended period of low mood, Give Me Sport noted.

Dr. Andrea Utley, the sports scientist who led the study in conjunction with BetVictor, further explained how it works. According to Utley, it induces cardiovascular workout, but the psychological effect depends on the result of the match.

"Ultimately supporting your team at a football match gives you a moderate cardiovascular workout and depending on the result of the match, a psychological boost or slump," Utley told CNN Sports.

Utley then revealed that in total, the stress that watching soccer causes is more of a positive than negative. "There is good stress and there is bad stress and there's a level of arousal which is actually good for you and the level of arousal that takes you over the edge. Although people think watching football takes you over the edge, it doesn't. We found it just kept people at a good level of arousal," Utley revealed.

It was also noted that heart rates particularly peaked around goal scoring opportunities, with rates increasing 27 percent after a Leeds United goal and 22 percent after an opposition goal. But ultimately, the more intense the game gets, the bigger the reactions are.