Girls are dropping out of sport. This is one of the main barriers.

By now we all know how exercise is hugely important for our physical and mental wellbeing – it’s been linked to a lower risk of developing lots of nasty health conditions in later life (think heart disease, stroke and cancer), and can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy.

Yet too many girls are dropping out of sport at school.

According to research by ASICS, 64% of UK girls will drop out of sport before they turn 16, which will not only impact their physical and mental wellbeing today, but also in the long-run.

The biggest barrier appears to be what they wear, with 70% of the 14- to 16-year-old girls surveyed saying they would be more likely to participate in school PE lessons if their kit was more comfortable.

Almost three-quarters said this factor would mean they’d enjoy PE more, too.

The key reasons cited by girls for feeling uncomfortable in their current PE kit are: ‘lack of choice’, ‘uncomfortable fabrics’, ‘shapeless design’, ‘suitability for different weather conditions’, ‘period concerns’ and ‘sweat........

© HuffPost