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Sport and physical activity improve quality of life for girls in three areas: 

Physical Health: 

• Improved Sleep

• Weight management

• Increased muscle strength

• Reduced risk of obesity

• Improves bone health (stronger bones)

• Cardiorespiratory endurance

• Prevention of bone loss

• Blood pressure management (helps maintain lower blood pressure)

• Boosts energy levels in daily activities

• Lowering of the level of blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides

• Reducing the chances of developing breast cancer later in life 

Mental Health:

• Higher body esteem

• Boosts Self-Confidence

• Reduced anxiety

• Improved sense of personal identity

• Reduced sense of stress and depression

• Boosts feelings of happiness and personal satisfaction 

Social Advancement:

• Leading to more opportunities for fun recreation

• Maintaining sports interest

• Improving assertiveness

• Teaching goal-setting and strategic thinking

• Improving mathematical skills

• Improving spatial awareness

• Offering an opportunity to learn leadership

• Providing safe opportunities to learn how to lose constructively – leading to being less fearful of losing when taking a risk

• Improved risk management

• Understanding the value of teamwork

• Social Acceptance

• Learning how to be a role model

• Learning how to be responsible for others

• Avoidance of negative behaviors such as smoking and premature pregnancies

• Raises incentives for education and conceptual inquiry

Anecdotal Evidence on the Long-Term Impact of these quality-of-life outcomes.

The largest “social experiment” on the long-term benefits of sports for girls has been the 50-year existence of Title IX in the USA.  

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The text of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (USA): 

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”