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Sport England survey: Surge in girls playing football since Lionesses Euro 2022 win
Image source, Getty Images
If you were inspired to get out for a kickabout following the Lionesses' Euro 2022 win, you certainly weren't alone!
A report looking at exercise levels in young people in England found that 68,000 more girls started playing football since their success.
It says there are now 845,000 girls playing the game in the country.
But the Active Lives Children and Young People survey by Sport England found that overall children aren't being active enough.
Have you been inspired by the Lionesses to take up sport? What do you like to do to keep active?
Let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page!
Image source, Getty Images
How much exercise should we be getting?
Tim Hollingsworth, who is the Chief Executive of Sport England, says he is delighted to see the "continued growth in girls' football inspired by the Lionesses".
But, he admits when it comes to activity levels overall in children, the results are "mixed".
The report found that less than half of the children and young people surveyed weren't meeting the recommended amount of daily exercise.
The UK's top medical advisor Chris Witty recommends at least 60 minutes of activity for children a day.
Tim says the fact only 47% were hitting this target meant "too many children and young people are missing out on the benefits of living an active life".
Image source, Getty Images
Overall, the amount of activity children and young people are doing remains the same compared to the year 2021/22.
Previously, the survey found that the Covid pandemic saw more children using active travel - so things like walking, cycling or scootering to places.
The results this year suggests children are keeping up these habits since things returned to normal.
One million (11.5%) more children and young people were using active travel last year compared to five years ago.
What's next for girls' sport?
The Department for Education, which is the part of the government that looks after schools and teaching, says it has a plan to improve girls' access to sport.
Over the next two years, over 拢600m of funding is going to be put into teaching sport in school.
The hope is that if girls have more options to play sport, or get to do it more in school, they will start to enjoy it more.
Also, after the success of the Lionesses in the World Cup earlier this year, there's been more funding put into girls football, and finding coaches for teams.
Three young footballers sat down and chatted to Sue Campbell, the women's chair of the FA, about the FA's plan to get more girls playing football if they want to.