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Our Impact

There is great need for physical activity programs addressing the “whole girl.”  A 2006 study from the Girl Scout Research Institute states that “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 that “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.”  According to The Community Foundation for Northern VA’s 2010 report, “one in four children under the age of 18 are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.”  Suggested methods of addressing childhood obesity in Virginia include “integrating instruction on health and nutrition and providing more opportunities, in school, for physical activity” (Virginia Commission on Youth, 2003).  This hole in after-school programming is one that Girls on the Run of NOVA seeks to fill.

“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

In order to measure our program’s impact, Girls on the Run of NOVA entered into a partnership with George Mason University, Department of Health, Recreation, and Tourism to conduct a 2011 study of more than 3,000 Girls on the Run participants in Northern Virginia. This research showed, with statistical significance, that girls who participate in Girls on the Run® exit the program with an increase in exercise behavior, a higher self-esteem, more satisfied with their body size, and feeling greater support of physical activity habits from their family, teachers, and peers. This latter statistic is particularly exciting, as it shows 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. In addition, we discovered that 33% of the adults who participate in our end-of-season 5K with the girls are their mothers, which shows not just a sense of female bonding that takes place, but also a positive attitude towards exercise for both young and adult women as a direct result of our program. Our overall findings were true for all girls in the program and did not vary based on income, ethnicity, athleticism, or number of seasons participating.  Moving forward, with financial support from a grant-making foundation, we hope to further explore the impact of the Girls on the Run® curriculum and examine longitudinal benefits.

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

Adding to our local research are program evaluations conducted by our parent organization, Girls on the Run International since 2001. These evaluations have shown, with statistical significance, 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: www.girlsontherun.org/theprogram.html

"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