Some people believe that improve public health should increase the number of sports facilities; others believe that it has little effects and need other measures to improve it. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

The construction of new sports facilities are definitely needed in an environment where people's health is in a declining state. However, there are those who believe that the way to improving people's health should lie in other measures that governments have to come up with to get people to live more healthily. This essay shall discuss both views followed by my opinion.

In many countries around the world, sports facilities are being neglected. The existing ones being threatened with closure and in their place housing and commercial development is taking place. The lack of sports facilities has directly led to a sharp decline in the general public's involvement in sports activities. This is the major reason for ill health and excessive weight nowadays. If a wider range of sports and fitness facilities (swimming pools, basketball court and gymnasiums etc.) were available, then people would be more willing to spend time in these facilities to train their bodies and to improve their fitness, instead of living a sedentary life at home watching television, playing video games or using computers.

However, the building of such facilities may become a waste of time and taxpayers' money if they are built far away from where people live or if they are too expensive to use. There are scenes of empty sports grounds in many cities because it takes too much trouble to get there, and many sports clubs are receiving fewer guests because they charge unreasonably high membership fees. In these cases, the government should be spending more on advertising healthier life style instead of just wasting money on facilities that are not going to be actively used by the people. For example, it is important for people to know that little things like jogging or taking the stairs provide as many benefits as using exercising equipment in a sports club.

As good health is a basic human need and healthy individuals lead to a healthy nation, I believe that government should do both – increase the number of sports facilities as well as take other measures to improve people’s health such as awareness campaigns through various media. The sports facilities should be easily affordable and accessible by the people.

All in all, the government should be spending more money on the campaigns of getting the people to be more involved in a healthier lifestyle and also spending some money on sports facilities that are affordable and within reach of the general public.