True-Sport-Report

system, and immune system; promotes
strong bone, muscle and joint development;
and decreases the risk of obesity”
(p. 65). 15 The Task Force also emphasizes
that participation in sports has been associated
with higher levels of participation
in overall physical activity. In addition,
adolescents who participate in greater
levels of physical activity are less likely to
smoke, or they smoke fewer cigarettes. 16
Girls who engage in sport improve
their health and well-being in both the
short term and the long term. Fitness,
maintaining a healthy weight, and stress
reduction are among the immediate
health benefits. In the long term, physical
activity in youth is a key preventive
factor for heart disease, cancer, obesity,
osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease
and dementias in later life. 8,17,18
The Potential of Sport in
Stemming Childhood Obesity
Over the past quarter century, the rate
of obesity has doubled in the U.S. youth
population. The percentage of overweight
teens has tripled. 19 One in three American
children is overweight or obese by third
grade. 20 According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the
immediate and long-term health effects
of obesity on youth include a greater
likelihood of developing risk factors for
cardiovascular disease and being at greater
risk for bone and joint problems, sleep
apnea, and social and psychological
problems. Obese youth also are more
likely to become overweight or obese
as adults. Thus, as adults they will be at
greater risk for developing heart disease,
type 2 diabetes, stroke, several kinds of
cancer, and osteoarthritis. 20
Sport and physical activity play a critical
role in stemming the rise of obesity. Scientific
evidence indicates that participating
in physical activity helps people maintain
a stable weight over time, although how
much physical activity results in weight
stability varies across individuals. 14 In
addition, “regular physical activity also
helps control the percentage of body fat
in children and adolescents” (p. 12). 14
Moreover, “exercise training in overweight
or obese youth can improve body composition
by reducing overall levels of fatness
as well as abdominal fatness. Research
studies report that fatness can be reduced
by regular physical activity of moderate to
vigorous intensity 3 to 5 times a week, for
30 to 60 minutes” (p. 18). 14
In a large natural experiment, Kaestner
and Xu 21 studied the effects of Title IX
and sport participation on girls’ physical
activity and weight. They examined the
association between girls’ participation in
high school sports and weight, body mass,
and body composition during the 1970s
when girls’ sports participation dramatically
increased as a result of Title IX. They
found that increased participation by girls
in high school sports was associated with
an improvement in weight and body mass,
demonstrating a beneficial effect on the
health of adolescent girls.
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