Author(s)

Vagner Rosa Bizarro¹, Tatiane Andreazza Lucchese¹, Amanda Maia Breis¹, Karine Rucker¹, Minelli Salles Alves Fernandes¹, Mikele Torino Paletti¹, Ana Luísa Conceição de Jesus¹, Raphael Calafange Marques Pereira², Denise Rosso Tenório Wanderley Rocha¹, Alberto Krayyem Arbex^1,3

¹Division of Endocrinology, IPEMED Medical School, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
²Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, UNISUAM, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
³Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA.

It is generally expected that the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring health and social benefits to their host city and to Brazil. This assumption comes from “common sense”, as a logical conclusion arising from the fact that host cities “inspire” and stimulate lifestyle changes. Benefits are also expected on tourism, self-image, architecture and the economy of the country as a whole. But are these expectations real and evidence-based? What parts of these “facts” are concrete and which ones are not? This paper suggests available ways of quantifying positive effects of hosting an Olympic Game, and puts the focus of this approach on the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games and their true legacy, seeking scientific certainties.

Physical Activity, Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Olympic Legacy, Rio de Janeiro, Rio 2016

Bizarro, V. , Lucchese, T. , Breis, A. , Rucker, K. , Fernandes, M. , Paletti, M. , de Jesus, A. , Pereira, R. , Rocha, D. and Arbex, A. (2016) Health, Physical Activity and the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games: Legacy or Fallacy?. Health, 8, 9-17. doi: 10.4236/health.2016.81002.