Overview

Regular exercise and well-balanced eating patterns are known to promote health and a sense of wellbeing. Learned early, these habits can provide a solid foundation for a healthy life. The Commonwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls, however, discovered that many adolescent girls neglect to exercise and a surprising number appear to have eating disorders.

The girls' responses revealed that as they mature and become more concerned about their appearance, They often develop a negative self-image. Barely half (53 percent) of the high school girls surveyed thought they were the right weight, and one-third believed they were too heavy—a dramatic increase from 21 percent for younger girls, and twice the rate for boys who believe they are overweight.

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