Many girls who used to be very athletic have fallen out of love with physical activity as teenagers. a study disclosed.
Reasons include body image, puberty and fear of judgment, says Women in Sport, which surveyed 4,000 young women.
It’s a myth that they’ll quit the sport just because their priorities change, the charity says, urging the sport, leisure and education sectors to work harder.
Half of those surveyed do not want to be observed when they exercise, and around seven in ten avoid exercise during their period.
Other reasons were:
- lack of self-confidence (61%),
- School work pressure (47%)
- feel unsafe outdoors (43%)
Feeling uncomfortable at the gym or in sports gear was another concern.
One girl shared: “My school has a lot of unisex clothes as they are made for boys so if you are going through puberty and have wider hips it won’t fit properly.
“Skort – you feel vulnerable in it, even if there’s no immediate threat and you’re not around the guys, you still don’t feel comfortable.”
Some said they didn’t have “the right body shape,” while others didn’t like getting hot and sweaty.
The sport had become too competitive with age, some said, and they no longer felt able to join in just for fun.
When asked what motivates them, many said exercise is more fun, with more opportunities outside of school with friends.
- Periods and low self-confidence keep some girls from exercising
- Exercise addicts are asked to build in rest days
Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive of Women in Sport, said: “It is an absolute farce that teenage girls are being pushed out of sport to such a degree.
“Teenage girls do not leave the sport voluntarily, they are pushed aside because of ingrained gender stereotypes.
“We must all do more to reverse this trend and not continue to accept it as inevitable.”
Kate Dale, from Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign, said: “Unfortunately, this study is not surprising – the gender activity gap starts early.
“More than two-thirds of teenage girls have quit sport altogether by the age of 16 and 17.
“This means many girls are growing up into adults who are missing out on the physical, social and mental rewards of an active lifestyle.
“Positive experiences with physical activity at a young age are crucial for building healthy lifestyle habits.
“It’s also important for girls to see women and girls who resemble them in sports to challenge the stereotypes of how women who get active should look like.”
This Girl Can has made Studio You, a video library of workouts for teenage girls, available to all schools free of charge.
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