The IDS UK office is buzzing with excitement and anticipation, The 2010 World Cup is finally here! Not only does it make good viewing, but it also encourages us to actually take part and start kicking a football around. With benefits including improvements to general health, stamina, weight management and mental health surely there can’t be negative impact to the health of our nation?

In recent weeks the press have reported that The World Cup will result in number of health hazards at home and away. Named by one blogger as “The 2010 World Cup’s Biggest Threat”, HIV and the spread of AIDs has been well publicised. With 5.2 million in South Africa living with HIV and AIDs, half a million visitors and 40,000 call girls it is vitally important that sport fans look after themselves by using condoms. Other health concerns whilst playing away, include food-poisoning, measles, tick bites and flu. Finally, fans travelling to South Africa will have to face the Vuvuzela horn, which as part of the local culture is commonly heard at football games. At 127 decibels it cause permanent hearing impairment, and has resulted in football fans being urged to use ear-plugs and ear-muffs.

If all this wasn’t enough dangers also await those fans enjoying the games at home. The Terrence Higgins Trust has reported that nearly one in 10 people aged 18-34 in the UK drink so much whilst watching sport that they cannot remember what they did afterwards. Again, it seems the World Cup is putting sexual health at risk. Children have not been left out of the ‘horrors’ of the tournament, The World Cancer Research Fund have urged parent to promote healthy eating to their children whist games are on, as the sponsors include MacDonald’s and Coca Cola.

Ok, so now I’m not quite so caught up in the excitement of it all. However, all this does prove one thing: the benefits of health education really can’t be underestimated. Armed with the correct information football fans can avoid all these risks, and might even benefit from the health improvements that can be gained from the game!

The Vuvuzela Horn - Puts Hearing At Risk