Despite growing awareness around the importance of physical activity for children, research shows girls are less active than boys, from early childhood right through to adulthood.
So why does this gap exist and what can we do to address it?
UQ School of Public Health researcher Dr Stephanie Duncombe is working at the intersection of epidemiology and health promotion, investigating the barriers girl face in participating in physical activity and what can be done to get more girls moving.
Drawing on data from the Mother’s and their Children’s Health (MatCH) study — one of Australia’s largest child health cohorts — her research revealed an association between the types of play equipment that Australian households have and the gender of the children living there.
Most households had equal amounts of toys like balls, bikes and scooters but households with boys tended to have higher rates of sporting equipment such as bats, skateboards, tennis racquets, and golf clubs. Meanwhile, skipping ropes, slides and swings were predominantly found in households with girls.
Dr Duncombe and her team also established that the presence of siblings influences how physically active children may be.
“We found that girls were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines if they had a brother,” Dr Duncombe said.
“This adds weight to the idea that physical activity isn’t just about personal motivation — it’s shaped by the environments we grow up in, the opportunities we’re given, and the assumptions others make about what kinds of toys or activities are suitable ‘for girls’ or ‘for boys.’
“We know activity levels in childhood tend to track into adulthood, so the habits we form early on are incredibly important for long-term health.”
“I’ve always loved being active and I’d like my research to help others to share in the enjoyment of being active while building healthy habits for life.
“I want a world where girls have the same opportunities as boys to enjoy movement and explore what they’re good at.”
In collaboration with Year 7 and 8 students, Dr Duncombe has co-designed high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions that emphasise enjoyment, motivation, and accessibility.
“Students told us they gained knowledge about HIIT and the health benefits of exercise,” Dr Duncombe explains.
“But even more importantly, they reported increased confidence and a sense of collaboration.”
The results were exciting: even after a full school term, there was no drop in motivation — and girls reported higher levels of enjoyment than boys.
“It’s proof that when students help shape their own activity experiences, they’re more likely to engage and to keep coming back,” Dr Duncombe said.
“We can all face barriers to physical activity such as lack of time or limited motivation but for girls, the challenges may be compounded due to restrictive school uniforms or higher levels of peer pressure.
“Further understanding these barriers and co-designing opportunities with girls will help provide them with greater chances of meeting physical activity guidelines and that’s why listening to girls’ voices is so important.
