Warning Signs of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
Published: Saturday, March 01, 2008
Determination—the ability to train hard, to push oneself to the max—is an admirable quality that helps propel competitive athletes to the top of their game. In encouraging girls to “go for the gold,” it is important to be aware of potential health risks. The pursuit of athletic perfection, in combination with a relentless drive for thinness, may open the door to the development of an eating disorder—anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. These illnesses involve thoughts, emotions and behaviors and—unless treated—can result in serious problems such as abnormal heart rhythms, infertility or bone loss. In the world of competitive sports, high ...
Sports Reading List for Girls
Published: Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The books on this list feature girls and women as active participants in sports and physical activity. There are books for all ages and reading levels. Some books feature champion female athletes and others are fiction. Most of the books written in the 1990's and 2000's are still in print and are available in bookstores. Earlier books may be found in your school or public library. If you cannot find a book, ask your librarian or bookstore owner to order it. Bolded books are new to the list since the last update.* The descriptions for these books are quoted with ...
Physical Education: FACTS AND STATISTICS
Published: Friday, June 15, 2007
The Women's Sports Foundation, on a quarterly basis, compiles facts and statistics that are a representative sample of the data that exists in women's sports as of the fact compilation publication date. Click on the Women's Sports Facts and Statistics link below to review the most current fact compilation.Use our search engine (upper left above the menu page) to look for information on particular topics of interest.If you cannot find the information you are looking for, the Foundation also operates an Information Referral Service to help educate the public by providing facts, statistics and background data on sports-related issues ...
Psychological Benefits and Barriers of Sport: FACTS AND STATISTICS
Published: Friday, June 15, 2007
The Women's Sports Foundation, on a quarterly basis, compiles facts and statistics that are a representative sample of the data that exists in women's sports as of the fact compilation publication date. Click on the Women's Sports Facts and Statistics link below to review the most current fact compilation.Use our search engine (upper left above the menu page) to look for information on particular topics of interest.If you cannot find the information you are looking for, the Foundation also operates an Information Referral Service to help educate the public by providing facts, statistics and background data on sports-related issues ...
The Female Athlete Triad: Quick Facts
Published: Friday, March 23, 2007
The female athlete triad is a set of symptoms that produces damaging physical and psychological consequences. It is comprised of three linked medical conditions that occur in sequence: disordered eating, menstrual irregularities and premature osteoporosis. The components of the female athlete triad are related in the following way:
Disordered eating leads to inadequate nutrition.
Poor nutrition directly affects the production of hormones such as estrogen.
Because estrogen plays an important role in bone development, a lack of the hormone leads to weakened bones and significantly increases the prevalence of injury.The triad is observed most often in girls who participate in sports in which ...
GoGirlGo! Tips to Get a Girl Active
Published: Thursday, May 20, 2004
You've heard many of the reasons girls should be active. We know that if a girl does not participate in sports by the age of 10, there is only a 10% likelihood she will be participating at age 25. (Bunker, 1988). Research suggests that physical activity is an effective tool for reducing the symptoms of stress and depression among girls. Sports help girls develop leadership and teamwork skills. Girls who participate in sports have higher self-esteem and pride in themselves. So how do you get the girls in your life to get on the path to being physically active and ...
Her Life Depends On It: Executive Summary
Published: Thursday, May 20, 2004
This report is a comprehensive compendium of research that points to physical activity and sport as fundamental solutions for many of the serious health and social problems faced by American girls.An appreciable mass of evidence-based knowledge about girls' involvement with sport and physical activity has been generated during the last decade. The amount and quality of this research are uneven and varied. For example, a good deal of research examines the associations between physical activity and risk for coronary heart disease, but studies that focus on risk for Alzheimer's disease are just beginning to issue. Researchers have verified links ...
Multimedia Sports Resources for Girls and Coaches: Books, Videos and Instructional Aides
Published: Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Compiled by Barbara Colombo-Adams, gender equity trainer located in Holden, Mass., this resource can be used by girls or parents and coaches of girls' sports. Books recommended by Colombo-Adams are divided by sport and are perfect for the young reader. She also provides a list of recommended popular sport movies and provides discussion questions. For parents and coaches, included are sport and game instructional book and video recommendations and suggestions on where to purchase sports equipment.RECOMMENDED SPORTS BOOKS FOR GIRLS' PROGRAM LIBRARIESBASKETBALL: Inside the WNBA By Joe Layden and James Preller (1999)Scholastic Inc. ISBN: 0-439-07803-2Allie's Basketball Dream (ages 6-9)By Barbara ...
Exercise and Breast Cancer Research Findings
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2001
OverviewA review of the existing data on the relationship between breast cancer and exercise indicates that the relationship is a complicated one depending on many factors such as age, intensity level of physical activity, pregnancy history, oral contraceptive use, type of breast cancer, alcohol use, smoking, obesity levels etc. There does not seem to be any conclusive data in the literature that unequivocally links participation in exercise or sports with a decreased risk of breast cancer. However, it does appear that under some circumstances exercise and sports participation may play a protective indirect role in the risk of breast cancer. ...
Sports, Fitness and Women's Health
Published: Wednesday, November 01, 2000
The real reason we want equal opportunity for our daughters to play sports is so they too can derive the psychological, physiological and sociological benefits of sports participation. Sport has been one of the most important socio-cultural learning experiences for boys and men for many years. Those same benefits shouldbe afforded our daughters. Research shows that:
High school girls who play sports are less likely to beinvolved in an unwanted pregnancy; less likely to be involved with drugs and more likely to graduate from high school.
As little as two hours of exercise a week may reduce a teenage girl's risk of ...
Olympic Diver Wendy Williams Speaks Out About Depression
Published: Monday, October 09, 2000
World-class diver Wendy Williams earned a World Cup and five National Championships in the 10-meter platform, a bronze medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and was named the NCAA Women's Diver of the Year in 1989 while competing for the University of Miami.Yet, at the pinnacle of her career, when she was considered a top contender for a gold medal in the women's platform diving competition at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, a spinal injury forced Williams to retire three months before the opening ceremonies. This event dramatically changed not only Williams' professional life, but her personal ...
Julie Krone
Published: Monday, October 09, 2000
JULIE KRONE
First Female Hall of Fame Jockey and Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Sufferer
Many know Julie Krone as the winningest female thoroughbred jockey in history and, most recently, as the first woman to be inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame. During the 1980s and early '90s, she consistently ranked as one of the top five riders in the country, among both men and women. When she won the Belmont Stakes in 1993, she became the first woman to win a leg of the Triple Crown.
Three months after this race, Krone became even more well known when she experienced ...
Benefits - Why Sports Participation for Girls and Women: The Foundation Position
Published: Monday, August 14, 2000
A Matter of Health and Well-being
Founded in 1974 by Billie Jean King, the Foundation works to increase the participation of girls and women in sports and fitness through education, grant-giving, recognition and advocacy programs. That's the Foundation does, but the "why" is most important. Although there is a federal law that mandates equal participation opportunities for male and female students in secondary and post secondary institutions of higher education, the real reason we want equal opportunity for our daughters to play sports is so they too can derive the psychological, physiological and sociological benefits of sports participation. Sport has been ...
Drugs - Illegal and Banned Substances: The Foundation Position
Published: Friday, August 11, 2000
Whereas the Women's Sports Foundation has adopted the following policy on the use of illegal or banned substances:Taking any illegal or banned substance that alters the normal function of the mind or body for the purpose of enhancing athletic performance is a decision to cheat, endanger one's health and encourages others to cheat. Whereas, the Women's Sports Foundation urges sport leaders to take strong positions in favor of drug-free sports, Therefore Be It Resolved that: The Women's Sports Foundation go on record as calling for the international governing bodies of sports to impose bans on international sports participation by those ...
Drugs - Athletes and Drug Use: The Foundation Position
Published: Monday, July 24, 2000
Taking any illegal or banned substance which alters the normal functioning of the mind or body for the purpose of enhancing athletic performance is a decision to cheat, endanger one's health and encourages others to cheat.
Current Trends and Perspectives: Women's Sport and Women's Health
Published: Friday, June 11, 1999
PrefaceMedical doctors (and others whom the public holds in high esteem and credibility) have a tremendous social responsibility to provide a balanced perspective on disease, illness, and injury. History demonstrates that they have failed to do so:· In the late 1800s, when women were emancipated from the home by the bicycle, there were doctors who wrote in respected medical journals of the dreaded disease "bicycle face." Imagining the pain of a female sitting astride a bicycle, they warned of a wrinkled face response and the permanence of such disfigurement. The effect of such warnings was to keep ...
Liz Masakayan, Volleyball Player, On Nutrition
Published: Thursday, October 05, 1995
As a professional volleyball player, I have to watch my diet and practice my skills in order to perform at the best level possible. Here are a few breakfast and "on the road" tips that help me get going.Many of my volleyball matches occur around 9:00am, which is unlike many other sporting events such as baseball or basketball that typically occur in the afternoon or evening. At such early hours my appetite is very small but I know I need to eat in order to gain energy for my matches. Typically I'll eat two hours before a match. This gives ...
Benefits - Obesity and Physical Activity: The Foundation Position
THE PROBLEMFailure to address the development of regular exercise behaviors and good nutrition at an early age has major health and economic consequences:300,000 deaths a year caused by obesity(cigarette smoking is 400,000)$117 billion in 2000 – health costs attributed to obesity(The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, 2001) In addition to premature death and disability and health care costs, the negative impacts of obesity manifest in lost productivity and social stigmatization.Most experts believe that physical inactivity is responsible for excessive caloric intake and the ensuing prevalence of overweight and obesity.40% of adults ...
The Balancing Act: A Woman's Guide to Sports & Fitness
Contents:I. Balance-An Act In ProgressII. The Fitness Balance-A Body/Mind ConnectionIII. A Beneficial BalanceIV. An Attitude AdjustmentV. Get With The ProgramVI. The Fitness FormulaVII. Off-Balance-Dealing With InjuriesVIII. Balanced NutritionIX. A Family ActX. ChoicesXI. Log SampleXII. Sports and Fitness Organizations and ResourcesI. Balance-An Act In ProgressBeing balanced isn't really something you are; it is something you do. If life is a stage, the balancing of it is a never-ending act. Need convincing? Take a look at your own daily tightrope. Life's challenges come in all shapes and sizes. The demands of work, family, and relationships are ongoing. Often, the scales get tipped, leaving you feeling stressed, unfulfilled, and exhausted. Most of the ...
Women More Susceptible to ACL Injuries
Women are at a higher risk for suffering an ACL injury. Dr. Plancher developed a gender-specific surgery that allows women to be back in action quickly after surgery.
Bun Huggers: To Wear or Not to Wear
The evolution of athletic apparel has come a long way from the knickers and long-sleeved blouses worn by early female athletes to the colorful, individualistic styles worn by athletes such as Florence Griffith-Joyner. The topic of athletic uniforms sometimes ventured into the arena of athlete exploitation. Was it appropriate for the international volleyball federation to mandate "bun huggers" as a required uniform for international play? In general, it makes sense to base the selection of uniform or rules regarding uniform on performance-related rationales rather than other non-exploitive considerations. First, it is important to examine the physiological benefits ...
Asthma and the Athlete's Challenge
When people talk about the tragic death of Rashidi Wheeler, the Northwestern football player who died of an asthma attack during practice, I can hear the disbelief in their voices: He was killed by asthma? My heart goes out to his family. The sad and hard-to-accept truth is that the tragedy that has struck them plays out 5,500 times every year in the United States. Asthma is killing people at alarming rates. I could easily have been one of them. During my freshman year at the University of California at Los Angeles in 1981, I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma ...
Drugs and the Female Athlete
How does drug abuse affect the female athlete?
Use of "recreational" and/or performance enhancing drugs can lead to both short-term and long-term health problems for female athletes. Some of these effects may include…Short-term
Mood swings (anxious, depressed)
Confusion, lack of coordination
Nose bleeds
Diarrhea and vomiting
Slurred speech
Memory loss
Hallucinations
Loss of appetite, energy and motivationLong-term
Addiction
Violence
Heart & breathing problems
Coma
DeathWhat performance enhancing drugs are available to female athletes?
Steroids: (roids, juice, rocket fuel)- Swallowed as a pill or shot into your body with a needle, these powerful drugs act like testosterone. Steroids are used by athletes in any sport to build muscle fast.
HGH/human ...
Foundation Launches Healthier Hispanic Girls Project
The GoGirlGo! Healthier Hispanic Girls Initiative was launched in Chicago on November 30, 2005, at Humboldt Park Field House. In conjunction with GoGirlGo! Chicago, the Women's Sports Foundation and the PepsiCo Foundation joined together to activate the female Hispanic community throughout the metro Chicago area. In one day, 30 girl-serving organizations, which reach a total of 2,000 Hispanic girls, were introduced to GoGirlGo! through a bilingual press conference, curriculum and grant writing training.The goal of the Healthier Lives for Hispanic Girls Initiative is to reach out to 6,500 Hispanic girls between the ages of 8 to 18 and their families ...
Optimizing Health in Young Women Athletes
Health Risks in Young Female Athletes
While sport promotes health in many ways, there are some risks associated with athletic activities, particularly when they are done in the extreme amount necessary for competition. Elite and competitive athletes must take caution to ensure that they are nurturing their body and protecting both short and long term health. Health cannot be taken for granted; if it is, injuries or illness may result. The most common risks to young active women's health are as follows:
Over trainingOver training is when the body becomes less able to train for long periods of time. This is a ...
GoGirlGo! Helping Girls in Rhode Island Become Active
Researchers at the University of Rhode Island examined the effects of an 8-week after-school program featuring the GoGirlGo! educational curriculum along with a physical activity program. The study, conducted in Providence, Rhode Island, focused on middle school girls of color and their attraction to physical activity One group of girls participated in the GoGirlGo! curriculum plus a physical activity program while the other group of girls participated in the physical activity program only. On the first and last day of the study, each girl completed The Children's Attraction to Physical Activity (CAPA) scale (Brustad, 1993) which assesses the extent of ...
Exercise and the Asthmatic Child
Over 9 million children have been diagnosed with asthma... but asthma doesn't have to sideline a child!
Exercise and Fitness
What do you want to get out of an exercise program? What you want to get out of one exercise program has everything to do with the kind of program that will work best for you in the long run. Ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish?" Do you want to lose weight? Get in shape and stay in shape? Maybe you'd like to reduce some of the stress in your life? Or perhaps you're serious about improving your overall health or increasing your muscle strength? The good news is every one of ...
The Health of Today's Young Girls is Threatened by Inactivity
Too many girls are not physically or psychologically healthy, happy or confident about themselves. These girls are in grave danger…and they need our help.
One in every six girls is obese or overweight; and overweight women are 60% more likely to die from breast cancer
One in three girls gets pregnant by the age of 20
One in three girls in grades 9-12 smokes; lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women
One in three adolescent girls will experience depression, anxiety or eating disorders
One in four high school girls reports she does not like herself; 78% of 12th grade girls are ...
The Diabetes Crisis
Tennis legend Billie Jean King and Paralympic gold medalist Pam Fernandes serve as inspiring examples of women who have continued to thrive every day despite diabetes.
Why Women Should Learn How to Use Sport for Business
The Business Model is a Reflection of the Male Model of SportWomen Without Sports Experience Are Disadvantaged in the Work SettingThe existing American business model is a male model of organizational structure and human relationships. Males learn the rules of human organizations and interactions from sport. Sport is one of the most important socio-cultural learning environments in our society and, until quite recently, has been reserved for boys and men.This is not to say that the male model of business or organizations is the preferred model. In fact, women are bringing new strengths to business and organizations that are based ...
Sports Movies for Girls
The movies and documentaries on this list feature girls and women as active participants in sports and physical activity as either athletes or as professionals. There are films for all ages. Some movies feature actual champion female athletes and others feature fictional characters. The films can be found in movie stores and/or libraries. If your favorite sport movie featuring girls or women is absent from this list, please e-mail the title to info@womenssportsfoundation.org, and we will add it to our ever-growing list. *Descriptions provided by cybergrrl.com~Descriptions provided by amazon.com+Descriptions provided by netflix.com-Descriptions provided by runningmovies.com^ Description provided by collagevideo.com` Description ...