How can sport policy address health disparities and access to physical activity?

• A. By funding exclusive elite programs and limiting facilities.
• B. By focusing solely on professional sport development.
• C. By funding inclusive programs, removing structural barriers, improving facilities, and encouraging community-based participation.
• D. By eliminating community recreation centers.

Answer: (C)

Addressing health disparities through sport policy means expanding who can participate and removing the obstacles that keep people from being active. The best approach funds inclusive programs, removes structural barriers, improves facilities, and promotes community-based participation because it tackles both access and quality of opportunities to be active. Inclusive programs ensure people of different incomes, ages, abilities, and cultural backgrounds can join, while removing barriers tackles costs, transportation, scheduling, and discrimination. Improving facilities makes spaces safe, welcoming, and accessible, which is essential for sustained participation. Encouraging community-based participation leverages local networks and supports programs that fit the specific needs of nearby residents. Together, these elements create pathways for more people to be active, helping to reduce health disparities. Choices that focus on elite programs, professional development alone, or eliminating community recreation centers would likely worsen inequities by limiting access rather than expanding it.