Government Website Provides Health, Fitness Info for Adolescent Girls

For the past six years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has managed a website designed to provide health information for adolescent girls.

In the "About" section of www.girlshealth.gov, the program is described as an effort "to inspire health behaviors" within the target population.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health, our mission is to inspire healthy behaviors using positive, supportive, and non-threatening messages. ... The site gives girls reliable, useful information on the health issues they will face as they become young women, and tips on handling relationships with family and friends, at school and at home.

Our tagline is "Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be You. Beautiful." It focuses on the idea that being yourself—finding what makes you smile and how to live well—is what makes you "you." And that is beautiful!

An online media packet describes the site as being organized in the following 10 categories:

• Body - Covers everything from growth and body hair to acne and hair care.


• Fitness - Stresses that being fit means more than only how you look.


• Nutrition - Addresses a healthy diet for a teenage girl and what to do to improve nutrition.


• Illness & Disability - Shows ways to cope with a chronic illness and how to combat the fears of being sick.


• Drugs, Alcohol, & Smoking - Describes all types of substance abuse and what it does to a girl's body.


• Your Emotions - Talks about relieving stress in healthy ways, depression, and teen suicide prevention.


• Relationships - Talks about the importance of healthy relationships and open communication.


• Bullying - Information for girls, parents, and educators about the issues associated with bullying.


• Safety - Addresses safety issues about the Internet, within relationships, and provides general safety tips.


• Your Future - Helps girls discover their talents and plan for the future.

"Let's face it, today's media-savvy teens rely more heavily on the Internet as a reliable source of information than they rely on their parents, teachers, or friends," wrote the program's project manager, Ann Abercrombie, in a letter on the site. "So, it is critical to give them the most reliable and up-to-date health information available."