Girls on the Run-Chicago Program Expansion
This project's parent organization is Girls on the Run-Chicago
It operates in United States
It uses Athletics
More about Girls on the Run-Chicago Program Expansion
GOTRC fills a great need for physical activity programs addressing the "whole girl," especially in Chicago. According to the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago’s Children, 21% of girl students in Chicago are at-risk of becoming overweight, compared to a 15% national average. 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."
Low-income girls suffer the greatest risk: a 2008 study from The Women's Sports Foundation stated "it is poor, and mainly urban girls who are left behind" when describing the group most in need of organized sports programs. According to research done by the Center for Urban Research and Learning at Loyola University Chicago, "less than half of [Illinois] children get enough exercise every day, but most children spend nearly six hours each day in front of a television or computer". This same research showed us that in 2007, only 46% of Illinois girls ages 15 or younger consumed vegetables daily and only 38% of these girls described themselves as physically active. GOTRC’s program encourages daily physical activity and healthy eating habits.