Youth Need More Exercise

I am as serious as a heart attack! Given all the press about the growing obesity rates, particularly in children, at one time or another all of us have probably thought our families needed a healthier diet and more exercise, and we were right.

Last week the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children from families with a history of heart disease and high cholesterol be screened for high cholesterol every 3-5 years after the age of two, and that cholesterol-reducing drugs (called statins) be considered for children as young as eight!

Everyone knows that obesity is related to higher risks for Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and stroke, but for some reason, we are ignoring these risks and our children may pay a very steep price.

The best way to prevent all of these health outcomes is to eat well and get at least an hour of exercise each day, so step away from the computer and get active!

Photo credit: 3rgella

Labels: Fitness, Healthline, Teen Health

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Girls are Champions

I was introduced to an interesting site for girls last week - it is called GAC (Girls are Champions). The front page says "share your tips, your stories, your inspirations ... Learn how to play harder, get focused, stay healthy, and have more fun... Join us."

Young athletes can get coaching advice, sport psychs, workout ideas, and team information. They can read stories and poems from other female athletes, learn about women in sports, and find health-related information relevant to athletes. There is even a writing and drawing contest going on now. Their motto seems to be Move! Play! Live!

Over two decades have passed since the enactment of Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally-funded education, including athletics. Unfortunately, women and girl athletes have yet to reach parity with men. Women are still only about one-third of interscholastic and intercollegiate athletes. In addition, women college athletes receive less than 26% of college sports' operating budgets, and less than 28% of college recruiting money (Women's Sports Foundation, 2001). . As our teens get older, fewer of them stay active, exercise or participate in sports, which will have long term health consequences. It is important for parents, schools, and organizations like this one to encourage girls to stay active and be proud of their bodies and abilities. Web resources like this are sure to help!

Photo Credit: Faeryan

Labels: Fitness, Web Resource

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Celebrating Girls and Women in Sports

Pretty Tough LLC, a lifestyle brand as well as online community, has a web site full of new and vintage sports-related videos, music, products (hence the ".com"), female athlete & coach profiles, and even a book club. Everything about this site is directed at helping girls and young women excel in athletics, but stay feminine, i.e., pretty, but tough!

Teens seem especially likely to distinguish athletes from the "girly girls," creating an artificial distinction that suggest being in shape and powerful makes a young woman less feminine. Some girls are also less likely to try out for sports, assuming that they will be considered "tomboys," or less likely to appeal to potential romantic interests. Sadly, starting in middle school, sports tend to become more serious and competitive, leaving out all of the girls who may not excel in sports, but certainly need to develop lifelong exercise habits.

Along with helping teens see pretty young women as athletes, this site may help young people realize that to stay healthy, they will need to develop habits and interests as teens that will help them get exercise every day of their adult lives.

Photo Credit: faeryan

Labels: Fitness

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