Developing the Whole Girl

Ask a girl who's on a Girls on the Run team why she's participating, and she's likely to respond: "Because it's fun!" But our program is designed to be more than just a fun after-school activity. Our Girls on the Run® curriculum is based on the "Whole Person Concept" which stresses the importance of equally developing the emotional, mental, social and physical aspects of every girl to create a well-balanced, whole person. The lesson plans are designed to encourage exploration, conversation, and of course, physical fitness.

There are a number of studies that support the need for a more holistic program, among the most prominent are:

• A 2006 study from the Girl Scout Research Institute:
  "The more physically active girls are, the greater their self-esteem and the more satisfied they are with their weight, regardless of how much they weigh."
• The March 1998 President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Report on Physical Activity & Sport in the Lives of Girls reports:
  "Physical activity and sport are not simply things young girls do in addition to the rest of their lives, but rather, they comprise an interdependent set of physiological, psychological and social processes that can influence, and, in varying degrees, sustain girls' growth and development."

A Program That Works

Our own study in the Spring of 2011 measured our program's impact. Together, with George Mason University, Department of Health, Recreation, and Tourism we studied more than 2,700 Girls on the Run participants in Northern Virginia.

Our research showed, with statistical significance, that after a season of Girls on the Run®, girls:

• Have higher self-esteem
• Are more satisfied with their body size
• Actually exercise more
• Feel a greater sense of support for exercise from their family, teachers and friends.

Our study findings were true for all girls in the program and did not vary based on income, ethnic background, how athletic the girls are, or how many seasons they'd participated in Girls on the Run.

There is also strong evidence that participation in Girls on the Run® has a positive impact on not just the girls' attitudes about physical activity, but their families', friends', and communities' as well. Moms and girls benefited by participating in the 5K together. Not only did they bond through the shared experience, but positive attitudes about exercise were reinforced from mother to daughter, and vice versa. (34% of the adults who participated in our 5K with the girls were their mothers.)

Impact Report

A Spring 2012 study of our Girls on Track participants is underway. And moving forward, with financial support from grants or a community partner, we hope to further explore the impact of the Girls on the Run® curriculum and examine the longer-term benefits. If you have questions about our research or would like to know more information, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Our parent organization, Girls on the Run International has also conducted research since 2001, and their findings reinforce that girls who complete the program have a stronger sense of identity, a greater acceptance of themselves, a healthier body image and an understanding of what it means to be physically and emotionally healthy. Evaluation results for studies under the direction of Dr. Rita DeBate, Ph.D., MPH, CHES for Girls on the Run International are posted at: http://www.girlsontherun.org/What-We-Do/Evaluations

Girls and Physical Activity

The obesity epidemic and the need for more physical activity. We read about it and see it frequently discussed in the media, and it's a question that teachers and school administrators, parents and physicians grapple with as they seek to get our children off the sofa and engaging in a more physically active lifestyle.

While it's well-known that physical activity is an important component to maintaining our overall health, several academic studies have found that there are differences in girls attitudes toward physical activity, their motivation to participate and even their preferences in coach styles from that of boys.

If you're interested in knowing more about the gender differences, and specifically, what motivates girls, we encourage you to read the literature review below. It was compiled and written by Jill Singleton, MS, Academic Adviser, George Mason University. In addition, Jill's review also focuses on the benefits of a developmentally-focused youth sports program as a way to teach life skills, and how Girls on the Run is successfully using such a model.

Literature Review

Stories & Testimonials

"Girls on the Run's programs and services exemplify the type of work that is necessary to help fight childhood obesity and promote the overall health and well-being of young girls and their families." – Jim Cronin, Mid Atlantic region CEO, UnitedHealthcare

"This program provides self-esteem, teamwork, incentives and persistence." – Delegate Tag Greason, VA House of Delegates

"I learned that I am a very strong person and that I can push through anything, and that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to." – GOTR NOVA Participant

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