Girl Scouts of Woodland Council

serving the girls of central wisconsin

GOT GIRLS?

Then you should know this & pass it along...

The Latest from the Girl Scout Research Institute:
The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living

On January 25, 2006, the Girl Scout Research Institute released a new original research report entitled The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living that combined focus group research with online surveys of more than 2,000 eight- to 17-year-old girls.

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.

Click the image on the left for more information, including programs, key findings, an advocacy project for girls, and much more.

Great Web sites for girls! Check them out here .

Previous Got Girls? highlights:

Weighing In: Helping Girls be Healthy Today,
Healthy Tomorrow

a publication of the Girl Scout Research Institute

In the last two decades, obesity rates have doubled in children and tripled in adolescents such that obesity is now the most chronic health problem among American children.

Consider these Wisconsin statistics:

10 percent of students in 9th through 12th grades are obese

14 percent of children ages 6 to 19 are overweight

10 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 5 are overweight (up from 7 percent in 1994)

59 percent of adults are overweight

22 percent of adults report getting no physical act ivity

33 percent of children ages 6-19 are not engaged in any regular physical activity

78 percent of adults report eating less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day

Source: Manitowoc Health Dept

Weighing In addresses various underlying causes leading to this epidemic of obesity and being overweight among children and adolescents and the lifestyles, culture, and behavior that have contributed to this condition.

This review also focuses on gender and cultural issues in the research, especially with regard to girls’ body image. The main social environments in which girls participate are explored (school, home, etc.) as well as the significant role of media and marketing.

Actionable issues raised within Weighing In for families, youth development organizations, communities, educational institutions, and policymakers to help girls be healthy today, healthy tomorrow include:

Programs and support systems for youth to address body image and to face pressures from media and peers
Roles of adults, family members, and care-providers to promote healthy weight and nutrition decisions
Ideas for communities and food-providers to work for an overall healthier environment for children.

Download a copy of Weighing In here.

Additional weight/health/fitness resources:

For women:

http://www.4woman.gov/pub/steps/Obesity.htm

Comprehensive site from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Topics range from Nutrition, Adolescent, Men's, & Women's Health, School Health, & Quality of Life:

http://www.cdc.gov/node.do/id/0900f3ec80059b1a

Timely tips for staying healthy during the holiday season:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/tips/holiday_tips.htm

Information on children's obesity issues from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

http://www.aap.org/obesity/

You should also know...

that for every 100 girls who join Girl Scouting...

6 will earn the Girl Scout Gold Award - the highest achievement for girls in Girl Scouts

   12 will have their first contact with a church

    5 will earn their religious award

    1 will enter the clergy

    Only RARELY will one be brought before a juvenile court judge

    Nearly ALL will develop hobbies used during their adult life

    10-15 will enter a career that was introduced through badges and interest projects

    17 will become Girl Scout volunteers

    5 will use her Girl Scouting skills to save a life

    3 will use her Girl Scout skills to save her own life

For more information on how your daughter can benefit from all that Girl Scouting has to offer, contact us today!

The Latest from the Girl Scout Research Institute: The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living
	On January 25, 2006, the Girl Scout Research Institute released a new original research report entitled The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living that combined focus group research with online surveys of more than 2,000 eight- to 17-year-old girls. 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. Click the image on the left for more information, including programs, key findings, an advocacy project for girls, and much more.

Great Web sites for girls! Check them out here .