Media Releases

Girls Aspire to be "Normal Healthy"
Girl Scouts Brings Voice of Girls to Discussion of Obesity

Media Contact:
Ann Marie van den Hurk, APR
302-456-7170
avandenhurk@cbgsc.org

Newark, DE, March 24, 2006:  A new Girl Scout Research Institute study sheds light on the childhood obesity crisis by asking girls directly how they define health and what motivates them to lead a healthier lifestyle.

The study, which brings the voice of girls to the forefront of the conversation on childhood obesity for the first time, finds that girls are in many ways ahead of the curve, using a varied, complex set of norms to define health. Today’s girls are defining “health” on their own terms, placing the same value on emotional well-being and self-esteem as they do on diet and exercise. For girls, being healthy is more than just eating right and exercising; it is also about feeling good about oneself and being supported by family and peers.

Girls say that efforts to reduce childhood and adolescent obesity that focus solely on nutrition or physical activity miss the mark. “This research gives us a window into girls’ view on health and it illustrates conflicting messages they receive from peers, parents and the media,” says Dr. Lilian Cheung, lecturer and director of health promotion and communication for the Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition and also an advisor to the study.

“The study will help us advance research and strategies that potentially help control obesity and instill healthy lifestyles among Girl Scouts as well as girls and families nationwide.”

The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living combines focus group research with a nationally representative online survey of more than 2,000 girls 8- to 17-years-old from different racial, ethnic, geographic, and socio-economic backgrounds. The study yields four broad findings:

-          For most girls, being healthy has more to do with appearing “normal” and feeling accepted than maintaining good diet and exercise habits.

-          Emotional health, self-esteem and body image play a critical role in girls’ attitudes about diet and exercise.

-          Girls have basic knowledge about healthy eating but often don’t act on this knowledge, and many regularly make poor diet and exercise choices.

-          Mothers exert tremendous influence as the most frequently cited source of health information and as role models for their daughters.

“If we want to help girls adopt better eating and exercise habits, we need to show them how healthy living will support their emotional well-being today as well as their physical well-being tomorrow,” says Judy Taggart, Council CEO.  “That’s why Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council offers a range of healthy living activities that address the ‘whole girl’ rather than just the food she eats, her weight and her exercise habits.”

What Does “Normal Healthy” Mean?

In both surveys and focus groups, girls often described their health goals as being “healthy enough” or “normal healthy,” a concept they often associated with appearing normal and being supported by peers and family. Girls tend to view any diet or lifestyle choice as healthy as long as it doesn’t harm their appearance or relationships with friends and family. Overall, 65 percent of girls say their lifestyle is “healthy enough for my age,” while just 16 percent describe their lifestyle as “very healthy.” One participant said, “I want to be someone who is just in the middle. They look happy and normal, and I want that experience.”

But while girls want to look normal, what that means can vary depending on a girl’s age, race, household income, peer group, adult role models and self-perception. Although about two-thirds (65 percent) correctly identify themselves as being either normal weight or overweight, one in three girls has a distorted idea about her weight. Specifically, 45 percent of girls who are overweight by BMI standards and 61 percent of girls at risk for being overweight see themselves as normal weight, while 14 percent of normal weight girls believe they are overweight. In addition, African–American and Latina girls, who exhibit higher rates of overweight, tend to be more satisfied with their bodies than White and Asian girls, who have lower obesity rates. Older girls also tend to be less satisfied with their weight than younger girls.

An Integrated View of Health

Virtually all girls agree that “emotional health is as important as physical health,” and 88 percent of 11- to 17-year-old girls believe that feeling good about yourself is more important than how you look. A strict focus on physical health does not resonate with girls. According to one teen, “Health isn’t always about weight. Health is about your friendships with other people and how social you are.”

Girls’ view that physical and emotional health are of equal importance is also reflected in their behavior. More than a third of girls ages 11-17 reported eating more when “stressed out” and overweight girls are more than twice as likely as girls who are not overweight to report eating more in times of stress. Girls also tend to be more prone to stress and worry than boys, making them more susceptible to this behavior. In the study girls were generally more concerned than boys about every issue from getting along with friends to doing well in school to how they look.

In addition, girls who are physically active are more satisfied with how they look and how much they weigh, regardless of their actual weight; aspire to healthier lifestyles; and are less likely to be overweight. Eighty-three percent of very active girls say that physical activity makes them feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, the study found that many girls ages 11-17 say they do not play sports because they do not feel skilled or competent (40 percent) or because they do not think their bodies look good (23 percent).

The Tension Between Awareness and Behavior

Girls already have basic nutritional knowledge, according to the study, but many don’t put this knowledge into practice. For example, more than 60 percent of teenage girls skip breakfast at least once a week, and nearly 20 percent skip it every day. One girl said, “Sometimes, instead of getting lunch, I’ll get chips and cookies. I go to the vending machines.” Teenage girls also spend increasingly more time on sedentary activities, such as talking on the phone, using the computer and watching television.

Obstacles at home and in school discourage many girls from adopting healthier habits. At school, reliance on vending machines, poor taste and quality of school lunches, optional physical education classes, and a lack of access to more informal physical activities are all barriers. At home, a decline in the frequency of family meals and increased television watching and computer use as girls get older make poor health choices easier. For example, four in 10 teenage girls eat in front of the TV at least three times per week and more than 30 percent sit down for dinner with their entire family not more than twice a week.

The Crucial Role of Mothers

According to the study, mothers play a crucial role in their daughters’ health behavior. Girls with active mothers are more likely to be active themselves; girls with overweight mothers are more likely to be overweight; and girls whose mothers have a negative body image are more likely to feel dissatisfied with their own bodies regardless of what they actually weigh. Girls cite their mothers not only as role models but also as leading sources of nutritional information and emotional reinforcement. Eighty-nine percent of girls report that their mothers make positive comments about how they look.

Girl Scouts In Action

Throughout our 94-year history, Girl Scouts has offered innovative programs in sports, nutrition and health. More than 60 badges, patches and charms encourage girls to engage in a wide range of activities that teach them about developing healthy everyday habits, from the importance of getting enough exercise and sleep, to good hygiene and eating habits, to learning about diseases like breast cancer.

Knowing that girls have a more complete view of health, Girl Scouts offers activities that also go beyond more traditional ones (such as nutrition education, sports and physical activity) to focus on self-esteem and emotional development to promote overall health and well-being. This reflects Girl Scouts’ awareness that girls today are overly concerned about their body image at younger and younger ages, and how crucial it is that healthy living initiatives address the “whole girl” rather than just the food she eats, her weight and her exercise habits

The findings of The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living, reinforces the work Girl Scouts is already doing to help girls lead healthier lives and will inform ongoing program and policy work to better acknowledge and effectively utilize the girl perspective.

Download the Executive Summary

About the Girl Scout Research Institute

The Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI), formed in 2000, is a center for research and public policy information on the healthy development of girls. Its main goal is to elevate the voices of girls on key issues that affect their lives, such as their emotional and physical health and safety. The GSRI originates national projects and initiatives, synthesizes existing research and conducts outcomes evaluation to support the development of the Girl Scout program and to provide information to educational institutions, not-for-profits, government agencies, public policy organizations, parents seeking ways to support their daughters and girls themselves. The GSRI includes staff and advisors who have expertise in child development and also includes advisors from academia, industry, government and not-for-profit organizations.

Girl Scouting builds girls of confidence, courage, and character, who make the world a better place. We do that by providing girls with personal leadership development and programs that build real life skills for the real world.

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