Recent social media trends would have us thinking that teen girls are the fittest and healthiest they’ve ever been. The likes of hot girl walks, Pilates princesses, what I eat in a day, skin care routines, smoothies – the list goes on.
In reality, our girls are struggling with their health and it’s largely a result of the world they live in, rather than individual actions.
Intervention programs to address health and wellbeing have traditionally been individual-focused and most have been spectacularly ineffective. By way of example, obesity has quadrupled in adolescents since 1990 and less than 15 percent of Australian teens get enough physical activity for good health.
The latest research suggests that the reason this approach has been so ineffective is because individuals are living in a system that is failing them. This year’s theme for World Obesity Day was a refreshing flip: “Let’s put a spotlight on the systems—not people—that need to change.”
This message highlights the fact that health systems, government systems, food systems, the media, and the environments we work, live and learn in all contribute significantly to our physical and mental health. Placing the responsibility on the individual is an over-simplification of the story and erases the responsibility of government and industry.
Without collective action (systemic change), we are gaslighting individuals into feeling like they are failing, rather than acknowledging the systemic failings that are denying opportunities for a healthier life.
The role schools play
Schools are the biggest system in our kids’ lives and have a huge impact on their health and wellbeing. School-based factors such as peer influence, insufficient physical education and play time, insufficient recreation spaces, unhealthy canteen options, and academic stress all contribute significantly to a child’s health across the 12 or more years that they are in the system.
School design, like access to shade, shelter, and spaces for different types of play, also affects kid’s opportunity for physical activity, good health and wellbeing.
Teen girls at the centre
Adolescent girls have been identified as a priority population by the World Health Organisation in an effort to avoid intergenerational transmission of obesity and the health and societal costs that come with it.
We know that teen girls are less physically active and more socially isolated than their male peers. They play less sport, they don’t ride their bikes much, and they are less physically active in recess and lunch breaks and during physical education classes. And the physical activity deficit is only one part of the issue.
Just as obesity is not an individual issue, this is not a “girl issue”. This is a systems issue. As a society, we have created sports, sporting clubs, sports uniforms and sporting culture around boys and men, and then blame girls for failing to participate.
We have narrow or non-existent bike paths where girls hustle for a spot amongst other bikes and cars in their often poorly designed school uniforms, in the baking sun (no teen girl wants to arrive at school sweaty). My educated guess would be that more girls would be willing to ride and wear helmets if they had the facilities to refresh and style their hair at school.
High schools lack recreational spaces, with ovals and courts which are dominated by the sportiest of boys, so what are girls (and non-competitive boys) to do with their lunch breaks? In fact, what should they do with their weekends?
Consultation is key
Nature Play WA is in the business of consulting with kids to understand how they want their community to look, and what would help them to be more physically active and socially connected. Lately we have been focusing on consulting with teen and tween girls. We are gathering the data on the environments they would like to walk in.
They told us that they like walks that are less than 3km; near water; in scenic areas with wildflowers, trees and places to sit and admire nature; near cafes; and are dog friendly. This also sounds like the type of walk that middle-aged women and older women would like too.
This year, Nature Play WA will be consulting with girls on the types of recreational spaces they would like. I’m hoping that colleagues in other sectors will do the same, because as the obesity example has shown us, to have real impact, we need change across the whole system.
The real challenge will be whether we have the political and societal will to listen to girls and make systemic changes to benefit them and the broader community.
Learn more
- Our Talk N Walk app is a great tool for tweens and teens to use to swap catch-ups over social media with getting active outside.
- Local governments and communities – do you want to see teen and tween girls be more active in your area? We can help. Enquire now about our award-winning consultation process.
Kelsie’s blog was first published as an opinion piece in The West Australian on Monday March 31, 2025, under the headlines The path to get girls active (print) and Teenage girls are struggling with health and it’s not their fault (online).