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were judged by their teachers to be more socially skilled and less shy thanstudents who did not participate in organised sports (Bush et al. 2001)• improving learning and academic performance — studies have found thatexposure to play and physical activity can improve attention levels and academicperformance in primary school students. Similarly, Barber, Eccles and Stone(2001), reported that high school students who participated in organised sports inyear 10 completed more years of schooling and experienced lower levels ofsocial isolation than non-participants• preventing smoking and the use of illicit drugs — Carinduff (2001) suggestedthat involvement in sport and recreation has the potential to reduce levels ofsubstance abuse and self-harm• reducing crime — there is strong theoretical support for the proposition thatparticipation in sport and recreational activities can deter young people fromdelinquent behaviour by reason of improvements in self-worth, relief fromboredom and increased social control (Cameron and MacDougall 2000). Masonand Wilson (1988) examined the link between sport and recreation and juvenilecrime and concluded that sport and recreation have the ability to play a role inthe reduction of offending behaviour, particularly more serious offences.Data in this section are sourced from the ABS 2004-05 National Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS). The NATSIHS providesinformation on the frequency, intensity and duration of exercise undertaken byIndigenous Australians living in non-remote areas (figures 9.6.1 and 9.6.2).However, these data do not provide any information about exercise levels forchildren under the age of 15. The latter part of this section provides some examplesof sports and community programs in operation.OVERCOMINGINDIGENOUSDISADVANTAGE 2007