Girls 'are being put off exercise and PE'

Girls ‘are being put off exercise and PE’ – Health News – NHS Choices.

NHS Choices examines the science behind the newspaper headlines.

How much exercise do people generally need?

The amount of activity you need to do each week depends on your age, but young people aged between five and 18 years need to do at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. This activity should be a mix of:

moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking or playing in the playground

vigorous intensity activity such as gymnastics, dancing or running

activities to strengthen muscles and bones, such as push-ups and running, perfomed on three days a week

Young people should also minimise the amount of time they spend sitting watching television and playing computer games. Where possible, walking or cycling instead of travelling by car is encouraged.

There are many ways that young people can build physical activity into their lives. Including physical activity into a daily routine, for example walking or cycling to school, can be an easy way to become more active. Encouraging children to do activities they like is also a good way of making activity fun and enjoyable rather than a chore.

Links to the headlines

Half of girls ‘put off exercise’ by PE at school. BBC News, May 2 2012

Schools encouraged to introduce more sports for girls. BBC News, May 2 2012

Schoolgirls put off exercise by PE. The Daily Telegraph, May 2 2012

Grubby changing rooms and embarrassment at getting sweaty in front of boys mean PE lessons are putting girls off exercise for life. Daily Mail, May 2 2012

‘Unfeminine’ school sports leave girls on the sidelines. The Independent, May 2 2012

Links to the science

Further reading

Changing the Game for Girls. Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation, May 2 2012