Girls Inc. Mind + Body
Girls today face a broad range of challenges to their physical, mental, social, and emotional health: a culture of high-fat and high sugar foods, too little physical activity, media and cultural messages overemphasizing the importance of physical appearance, and unrealistic expectations. These challenges and the unhealthy strategies that girls too often adopt to address or cope with often prevent them from reaching their full potential. Girls deserve a supportive environment to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle and be involved in decisions about their health. The Girls Inc.’s Mind + Body program offers precisely this. The program is for girls ages 5-14 across Anderson, Blount, and Knox counties who are most at risk of developing unhealthy behaviors and behaviors that derail their success as they grow. This program promotes the whole health of the 800 girls served in this program using a philosophy that recognizes many factors, including physical and mental wellness, and contributes to girls’ health. This initiative focuses on four critical content areas: physical health, body image, nutrition, and stress management. This positive youth development approach can equip hundreds of at-risk girls with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and support to maintain a positive sense of self and be healthy today and throughout their lives.