Centres

The Centre for Girls’ and Women’s Health and Physical Education (CGHHPA)

The Centre strives to be a catalyst for research and education about the relationship between physical activity and women’s health. We encourage the proactive involvement of researchers, professionals and interested community members from multiple disciplines to study and advocate healthy physical activity for girls and women.
In keeping with the Faculty of Physical Education and Health’s mission, the CGHHPA combines leading edge principles of interdisciplinary research, teaching and best practice within its overall mandate. Through research in the behavioural, social and biological sciences, a more complete understanding of factors influencing the participation of girls and women in physical activity is being established. As well, the impact of regular physical activity on mental and physical health, both in the short and long term is being explored.

Global objectives of the Centre include:

• To collaborate with other universities and international research centres to produce and disseminate new knowledge about the relationship between health and activity.
• To affect policy and legislative regulations protecting all girls and women from abuse, harassment and exclusionary practices at all levels of sport and in all forums of physical activity.
• To act as an advocate and a model for the development and promotion of mentally and physically healthy, barrier-free activity environments for female participants of all levels of activity, at all stages of life, and of all ethno-cultural backgrounds, sexuality and health capabilities.
• To provide opportunities for faculty and students (undergraduate and graduate) from a variety of disciplines to examine research questions and develop leadership skills focusing on girls’ and women’s health and physical activity.
• To develop and disseminate information related to girls’ and women’s health and physical activity to a wide range of health, sport, and education groups to increase awareness and provide the most up-to-date information in the socio-cultural, behavioural and biophysical aspects of this field of study.

Current Research

• Faculty and graduate students are currently pursuing research about:
  Active women and menstrual dysfunction
  Bone health
  Concussions in competitive sport
  Hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular health
  Mentoring activity
  Olympic media representations and relationships with athletes
  Physical and health education curriculum and ideologies of healthism
  Population health, gender, and the epidemic of obesity
  Sexual harassment in sport
  Youth understandings of health and fitness

Please contact: Mary Jane De Souza, Director of CGWHPA
416-978-0598