Calls for overhaul of PE kits backed by Olympian

Experts say PE kits are a public health issue because they can discourage teenagers from exercise

There needs to be a major overhaul of girls' PE kits to boost participation in sports, experts have ruled.

This comes as figures show less than half of secondary school-aged girls are meeting daily activity guidelines of completing an hour of physical activity every day.

Team GB Olympian Tess Howard MBE has joined the campaign to improve girls' PE kits, working with University of Bristol researchers who have led a major study into the issue. They recommend that PE uniforms should be offered in a range of styles to suit all pupils and should not be gender-labelled.

Ms Howard said: "Kit is a public health issue and it's a barrier that can be lifted."

Ms Howard, founder of non-profit Inclusive Sportswear, added that far too often, traditional kit policies inadequately forget the purpose of sport, which she believes is to have fun.

Girls who took part in the university's study called for more sportswear options, including being able to wear leggings and longer tops.

Team GB hockey forward Tess Howard (centre) is working alongside schools to help them improve their sportswear

The study, published on Thursday in BMJ Open, involved 12 to 13-year-old girls and PE teachers from mixed-sex schools in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

It found many girls feel self-conscious in compulsory PE kit items, particularly when they are tight or revealing.

Dr Alice Porter, from the University of Bristol, said: "Our findings clearly evidence that when girls don't have any choice over their PE uniform, this can be a deterrent to their participation, especially for girls who feel self-conscious and are lacking in self-confidence.

"One pupil we spoke to commented, 'you see other people and they look better in their PE kit than you do."

The study's findings are already shaping a national resource, the Inclusive Sportswear Community Platform, which offers free advice for schools to design more inclusive PE policies.