Research has proven time and time again that school PE kits are putting girls off sport - and the impact continues right into adulthood. So what's wrong with the current kits, and what can schools do to ensure girls - and indeed their entire student body - feel happy and confident taking part in PE?
At the start of the year, the Daily Mail published a study looking at the effects PE kits have on schoolgirls. According to the survey, 75 per cent of girls in secondary schools have at least one concern about taking part in school sports, with the majority citing the discomfort and embarrassment of wearing their PE kit as a major factor for sitting on the sidelines during sports lessons.
This survey echoes the findings of a similar study carried out by The Telegraph in 2014, in which nearly half (46 per cent) of schoolgirls surveyed admitted to actively avoiding sport due to the embarrassment caused by their school PE kit. In this instance, most girls said they enjoy being active, but shun physical activity because their sports kit makes them feel ugly.
This, coupled with the Mail’s more recent survey, is undoubtedly the reason why encouraging teenage girls to become more active is now considered a major problem across the UK and beyond. Research shows that 90 per cent of girls under the age of 16 are not getting enough exercise to meet the government’s recommended guidelines - a worrying statistic, and one that could have a detrimental impact on the future health of those affected.