Lisa Burke
Citizen Special
Monday, February 24, 2003

CREDIT: The Ottawa Citizen

Agencies target young girls
with ACTive strategy

Unlike these high school soccer players, most girls become less active as they grow older.

We see them just about everywhere we go, but don't really give them much thought.

The number of young and adolescent overweight girls has been growing rapidly, and, without action, future generations could be forced to deal with serious health concerns.

While it would be easy to continue to blame the fast-food industry and its products for the surge in obesity among Canadians, the leading cause of weight gain is inactivity. Research also shows that girls and women are less physically active than boys and men. In fact, 62 per cent of girls are not considered active enough to reach optimal health.

The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, the Canadian Heritage ministry's Sport Canada, and the federal department Health Canada are promoting the idea for girls and women to be more physically fit with a strategy known as "ACTive." Besides promoting current physical fitness activities for women, organizers plan to create committees that will meet regularly to monitor the plan's success, determine which areas are in need of more work and develop programs that will ultimately lead to fulfilling the mandate to get more female participation in sport. The initial phase of the strategy will last five years.

"I think women are just conditioned not to be active. In a lot of ways it's not considered glamorous," says Shelley Callaghan, a consultant who was hired to help develop the plan. "Boys tend to just be more sporty and you don't need to market sports to them."

As girls age, they become even less active. Research shows that between five and 12 years, 56 per cent of girls are not active enough. By the time they become teenagers, research says, 70 per cent need more activity.

Even more alarming is that obesity among girls seven to 13 years tripled from 1981 to 1996, and the number of girls considered to be overweight in Canada doubled.

"The 10- to 14 year-olds are a primary worry," says Morina Reece, who specializes in child and youth issues for Health Canada. "This seems to be where the largest physical activity decline occurs. To help combat the downward trend in physical activity, we need to work together in partnerships with all levels of government, health, education, sport, recreation, media and other sectors to provide more and better quality opportunities for girls."

Statistics also show that girls who are active are 92 per cent less likely to use drugs and 80 per cent less likely to have unwanted pregnancies.

If that's not enough reason to pull your daughter away from the television and encourage her to get active, there are social benefits to consider.

No matter what sport you get involved in, you're bound to make new friends, build self-confidence and feel better about yourself overall.

So, when one considers all the health and social benefits to being physical fit, why aren't girls more active?

There are a number of factors that come into play, and all need to be addressed.

One mother with a kindergarten-aged daughter says she was taken aback by the number of overweight kids in her child's class. She says those children are often teased and have fewer friends.

Fear of even more ridicule when playing a sport can often discourage girls from even trying out, but this is only one factor that keeps them away from sport.

"The social norm seems to say it's more OK for boys to be active," Reece says. "There aren't as many tailored opportunities for girls, physical education in schools is on the decline, a bad experience at a young age can play a big part, and sometimes even fashion can work against encouraging physical activity."

It's hard to believe fashion could stop a young girl from trying out for a sport, but Reece says that girls won't want to be seen as "uncool" if trends put shorts out of fashion.

Acceptance from peers is also key during a girl's teenage years. If her friends don't like to participate in sports, she may feel insecure and pressured to quit.

Reece says this is one reason why the success of the Canadian women's hockey and soccer teams needs greater exposure in the media.

"Both of those teams' successes has been a huge benefit," she says. "But we still need to have more positive coverage of all female physical activity and sport events."

Women's athletic achievements can go a long way in encouraging young girls to take up a sport. Several members of the Canadian synchronized swimming team say they joined the sport after watching Carolyn Waldo and Sylvie Fréchette at the Olympics.

There is a need for more female role models, female coaches and skill development programs for girls and the "ACTive" program is aiming to help fill these needs.

Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps says it's important for girls to be proud of their athletic abilities.

"I played just about every sport growing up, but there was time when you didn't want to say you were a jock because it wasn't really accepted," she says. "I think, when girls see someone like Hayley Wickenheiser, it can really encourage girls to get active. We need to utilize our athletes as role models."

In a perfect world, girls would be encouraged into sport by physically-active mothers.

"I think sport just becomes a real effort for some people, and when you weigh all the other commitments in your life, you just push it aside," Callaghan says. "Kids watch parents, and, if parents never walk to the corner store, their kids will never think about walking as a form of transportation."

Callaghan also feels children aren't able to entertain themselves as easily as previous generations did.

"I find kids need to be entertained whether it's through television or computer games, but they're just not as spontaneous."

For comments and suggestions, contact lisa burke at burkel@magma.ca .