A recent global study conducted by Unilever, in collaboration with the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women, has highlighted a concerning trend regarding teenage girls dropping out of sports. In Italy, the issue was further explored by AstraRicerche, revealing some striking findings.
Key findings from the research
- Dropout rates among teenage girls in sports:
- 50% of girls aged 13 to 17 quit playing sports.
- Of those, 2 out of 3 do so because of insecurities about their appearance and lack of body confidence.
- Parental reaction to quitting sports:
- When a daughter stops playing sports, 73% of parents accept the decision.
- When it’s a son, the acceptance rate drops to 51%: parents are more likely to encourage boys to reconsider, revealing a clear gender bias in attitudes.
- Aesthetic pressure and discomfort:
- 47% of Italian girls report feeling uncomfortable due to societal pressures to look fit and attractive.
- Sources of criticism:
- 45% of girls say they have been criticized about their appearance.
- Most of these criticisms come from peers:
- 22% of the time, criticism comes from other girls.
- 15% comes from boys.
- This highlights a contradiction with the ideal of female solidarity, which is often promoted but not always reflected in practice.
These statistics show how body image pressures and unequal treatment between boys and girls significantly influence teenage girls’ participation in sports, contributing to a social and psychological issue that deserves more attention.
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