Head over to The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website to read a very insightful blog post penned by GSUSA's very own Laurie Westley - Senior Vice President of Public Policy/Advocacy and the Research Institute. In the post, titled "What does ‘good health’ mean to girls?", Westley states and asks: "America’s health starts with healthy children, but what does “good health” mean to kids? To understand children’s attitudes about health – and to ensure that our programs to reach them hit their mark – we must expand the conversation about improving America’s health to include these new voices. At Girl Scouts of the USA, we’re working to bring an important perspective to the table: we know what works for girls."
More so, Westley offers insight into what health means to girls:
"Girls view health holistically, which means they place the same or even greater
emphasis on emotional and social health as physical health. Therefore, any plan
that strictly focuses on physical health could miss the mark with girls. For
example, physical activity needs to be given social relevance; it should be
promoted and taught in ways that are meaningful to girls. By emphasizing the
emotional and social benefits of physical activity, we will help girls recognize
how exercise affects the things they care about, such as their body image,
friendships, and confidence in their abilities."
That sounds on the mark to me! Make sure you read the entire post and while you're at it -share with us your thoughts on the matter. What does good health mean to the girls in your community?