No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Body image, physical activity, and sport: A scoping review
Abstract
Objectives: This scoping review explored the associations between physical activity, sport, and body image. Design: Scoping review. Method: The studies were identified and selected using broad search criteria using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO via Ovid and CINAHL, Gender Studies and Sport Discus via EBSCO, from January 1, 2008 up to May 15, 2018 for English peer-reviewed publications. A rigorous evaluation following specific exclusion criteria ensued and 210 publications (182 quantitative, 26 qualitative, and 2 mixed-methods studies) were indexed and summarized using frequency counts. Results: The studies were focused exclusively on sport (14.8%) or physical activity (defined as structured or leisure; 85.2%). The majority of the quantitative studies (58.2%) focused on the relationship between physical activity or sport and body image whereas 41.8% explored how body image was either a protective factor or deterrent for physical activity or sport participation. Four qualitative studies specifically examined the intersection of physical activity or sport and body image experiences. Based on the frequency of reported findings in the journal articles, participation in physical activity and sport was related to less negative and more positive body image. Negative body image was linked to lower physical activity and sport participation and was discussed qualitatively as a barrier to participation. Positive body image was associated with greater participation in physical activity and sport. There was no empirical focus on the bi-directional and reciprocal associations between physical activity or sport and body image, thus precluding any causal conclusions. Conclusions: Future research is needed using integrative conceptual frameworks and research designs that emphasize and delineate the causal, bi-directional, and reciprocal associations between body image and physical activity and sport behaviors.
... The differentiation of sport has led to the relevance of the body in sport and exercise becoming more multifaceted. While sport is usually connoted with coordinative or physical skills, the importance of topics like aesthetics and health has been rising, not only for sports but for society as a whole (Bette, 2017;Dimitriou, 2019;Rail & Harvey, 1995;Sabiston, Pila, Vani, & Thogersen-Ntoumani, 2019;Stichweh, 1990;Thiel, Seiberth, & Mayer, 2013). Thus, the relevance of the body is changing with the ongoing differentiation of sport. ...
... The mediation of the players' movement through digital avatars is unprecedented in traditional sports since the athletic corporeality representing the in-game action is located in a virtual reality. Hence, the body, the key element in many areas of traditional sport (Bette, 2017;Rail & Harvey, 1995;Sabiston et al., 2019;Stichweh, 1990;Thiel et al., 2013), is presumably detached from the actual competition. ...
... This scoping review explores literature that helps to understand the role of the body in esport and competitive gaming. The body is a crucial subject area in sport research (Rail & Harvey, 1995;Sabiston et al., 2019;Thiel, John, & Frahsa, 2019), and it is necessary to study this topic when researching esport. This review shows that corporeality can be observed on the physical but also the digital side of esport. ...
The popularity of competitive computer and videogaming, also known as electronic sport (esport), has been rising rapidly during the past decades. Because of many parallels with traditional sports, like competitiveness, skill requirements, degree of professionalization, or the way it is portrayed in the media, esport has been adopted as part of the sport canon in many countries. Still, critics argue that playing computer games lacks the physicality commonly seen in traditional sports. A significant part of the competition is mediated through digital platforms and the spotlight shifts from the players’ appearance and actions to their digital avatars. This paper takes on this issue by exploring existing evidence about the role of the body in esport via a scoping review approach. According to the findings of 47 studies, the body’s role in esport is akin to that in traditional sport, including specific motoric requirements or biometric responses. Beyond that, the body can be seen as a link between the digital and physical worlds. Players embody digital avatars in the form of esport-specific movements, transfer of norms and ideals, and identification with the in-game characters. Future research can use this review as a basis for scientific approaches to individual phenomena regarding corporeality in esport and inter-corporeality.
... Athletes are engaged in structured and planned physical activity with prominent influences on their physical and mental health. Generally, a positive BI is associated with increased participation in physical activity and sports [6]. BI is considered a multidimensional construct focused on the appearance and function of the body [6]. ...
... Generally, a positive BI is associated with increased participation in physical activity and sports [6]. BI is considered a multidimensional construct focused on the appearance and function of the body [6]. Body dissatisfaction with an individual's own physical appearance and body size, as well as discrepancies between actual and ideal dimensions, are cognitive, affective, and perceptual indicators of a negative BI [7]. ...
... In a sports context, a more favorable BI would depend on actual physical changes resulting from the sport practiced (e.g., body shape), perceived changes in the physique, and building self-efficacy and confidence. However, this relationship is by no means simple: while physical activity practice contributes to raising self-confidence through a number of discernible physical changes (e.g., an increase in fat-free-mass) resulting in improved BI satisfaction, BI may, in turn, induce motivation or dissuasion for physical activity and sports participation [6]. Thus, for example, exercise addiction arises from a misperception of BI [8] and can also result in decreased performance owing to overload and physical burnout [9]. ...
Concerns about body image may affect athletes, mainly because of specific sports models to achieve successful performance. This systematic review reports on body image dissatisfaction (BID) in athletes following the guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. From a total of 887 articles identified through a systematic search of electronic databases, 15 articles conducted on 2412 athletes were included in this review. To be eligible for inclusion, the studies must have been published in the last ten years up until September 2022 and analyze body image perception using body figure drawings and anthropometric profiles. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the adapted Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for observational studies. These studies were compared through thematic analysis of BID to develop four general issues, including gender, sport type and level, and weight status. According to the meta-analyses, the significant medium and small effect sizes found for gender and weight status, respectively, indicated that male athletes had lower BID than females and that, among the latter, normal-weight athletes had a higher BID than underweight ones. The implications and limitations of the included studies are discussed extensively in this review, highlighting the need for further research on BID examined both in the social and the sports contexts. Sports activity should be carried out following healthy lifestyles, and promoting positive BI.
... It is well-documented that predictors of adolescent physical activity include perceptions of competence and enjoyment [4], parental support and encouragement [5], self-esteem, and perceptions of the physical self [6]. Body image has also been recently highlighted as an important correlate, antecedent, and consequence of physical activity [7]. Participation in physical activity has been linked to improved body image, while concerns about body image have been linked with reduced physical activity [7]. ...
... Body image has also been recently highlighted as an important correlate, antecedent, and consequence of physical activity [7]. Participation in physical activity has been linked to improved body image, while concerns about body image have been linked with reduced physical activity [7]. Evidence is predominantly limited to cross-sectional quantitative or qualitative studies focused on female adolescents, precluding an understanding of the association between body image and physical activity over time among adolescent boys and girls. ...
... Body image is a multidimensional construct composed of perceptual (how one views their body), cognitive (how one thinks about their body), affective (how one feels about their body), and behavioral (the purposeful engagement of strategies linked to the body) dimensions [8]. The majority of research examining the association between body image and physical activity has measured cognitive body image by asking participants to self-report body dissatisfaction [7]. Emerging conceptual proprositions and research findings demonstrate the importance of studying discrete components of affective body image given the breadth of emotional experiences that is missed in common approaches in the study of body image [9][10][11]. ...
Body image is a commonly-reported factor perpetuating declines in physical activity levels during adolescence. However, the evidence is predominantly qualitative, cross-sectional, and focused on females. Furthermore, the affective dimension of body image has been overlooked compared to the perceptual (e.g., misrepresentations of body size) and cognitive (e.g., dissatisfaction) dimensions. Affective body image includes a range of self-conscious emotions including guilt, shame, envy, embarrassment, and authentic and hubristic pride. This study examined (i) body-related self-conscious emotions over time, and (ii) associations between body-related emotions and physical activity over five years during early-to-mid adolescence. Potential gender differences were also explored. Self-report data for this study were collected once a year over 5 years as part of the MATCH study. The main analyses involved mixed-effects modeling. Participants (n = 776, 55.8% female) initially aged 12.6 (SD = 0.6) years who provided data on at least one occasion were included in the analysis. Females reported higher body-related guilt, shame, envy, and embarrassment than males, and males reported higher hubristic pride than females. Over five years from early to mid-adolescence, body-related shame, guilt, envy, and embarrassment significantly increased for boys and girls, authentic pride did not change, and hubristic pride increased for girls only. Controlling for gender and puberty status, body-related guilt, shame, and embarrassment were negatively, and body-related authentic and hubristic pride were positively, associated with physical activity over time. Body-related envy was not significantly related to physical activity. These findings suggest that adolescents’ express greater negative body-related self-conscious emotions over time. Since these were negatively related to physical activity, interventions focused on reducing negative body-related emotions and enhancing positive body-related emotions may be valuable in adolescence to help curb declining physical activity.
... For example, younger people and women have greater concerns about their own body image and are considered vulnerable groups [13,14]. Restrictive diets [15,16], less participation in physical activities [17], and the consumption of fitness supplements (e.g., protein and caffeine products) and pharmacological substances (e.g., anabolic steroids and diuretics) for body change [18,19] have been associated with excessive body image concern. Furthermore, individuals with higher levels of body fat and higher body mass index (BMI) are also more concerned about their body [20,21]. ...
... On the other hand, the lack of physical activity promoted expectations of negative physical evaluation. These findings corroborate the literature [8,17,40], which indicate that people's engagement in physical activities, exercises, or sports can improve their relationship with body image. However, these people generally continue to worry about their physical appearance, as they gradually seek to verify whether the activity or exercise performed is having the desired body effects, which may explain the greater attention to body shape. ...
... When these effects are achieved, the person can feel more comfortable and confident exposing their body in social environments. However, when the individual does not practice physical activity or even when they do but they are unable to achieve the desired results, feelings of inadequacy may occur [17]. Thus, qualified professionals should encourage physical activities as a way of valuing health and well-being and not just physical appearance. ...
People can develop eating disorders due to excessive body image concerns. The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between attention to body shape, social physique anxiety, and personal characteristics in a sample of Brazilians. The secondary objective was to evaluate the correlation of the constructs with the participants’ body composition. First, 1795 individuals (70% female; Mage = 25.5 ± 6.6 years) completed the Attention to Body Shape Scale, the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Then, 286 participants (58% female; Mage = 25.3 ± 5.7 years) underwent a bioimpedance exam to identify body composition. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the relationship between the variables. The greater the attention to body shape, the greater the expectations of negative physical evaluation and the less comfort with physical presentation. Younger age, female gender, consumption of supplements/substances for body change, restrictive diets, physical inactivity, poor self-assessment of food quality, and overweight/obesity were related to negative body concerns. An expectation of negative physical evaluation was positively correlated with body fat and negatively with muscle mass. Comfort with physical presentation was negatively correlated with fat and positively with muscle. These results can support preventive strategies aimed at reducing eating disorders resulting from body image concerns.
... A recent review [10] found that a positive BI is associated with greater participation in PA and sports, in contrast to a negative BI. The association between PA and BI is complex: while, on the one hand, PA practice results in perceptible physical changes (weight, body composition, etc.), thus contributing to self-confidence and consequently leading to improved BI, on the other hand, BI may discourage or motivate PA and sports participation [15]. Furthermore, sex affects the association between PA and BI differently, with girls showing a more complex relationship [16]. ...
... Diverse physical, cultural, social, and psychological changes that characterize early and medium adolescence interact with BI and BID between ages 10 and 18. Restricting to physical changes during this period, sex-specific differences occur that result in an increase in body fat mass and a decrease in lean mass in the female sex compared to the male, with consequent changes in body shape and size. The eventual practice of PA and sports may also interact, leading to eventual improvements in the perception of BI [15]. However, a decline in PA practice during the period of adolescence is well known [72,73], leading especially girls to be less active than boys and not following the WHO recommendations of at least 60 min of MVPA per day [74], as confirmed by this review with a percentage of inactivity reaching almost three times as high in females as in males in Spain [49] and exceeding 80% inactivity in Brazilian girls [46] with less than 10% of girls participating in the recommended 60 min/day of MVPA for seven days in the USA [44]. ...
... Because body weight dissatisfaction is reported as a factor associated with lack of PA, physical inactivity can result, as a consequence, of the interaction between weight status and BI, according to Duarte et al. [73]. An alternative hypothesis is that, instead of discouraging, BI may motivate PA and sports participation [15]. In general, adolescent girls of all ethnic groups showed greater body dissatisfaction than boys. ...
Adolescence represents a vulnerable phase of life for psychological health. The practice of physical activity (PA) appears to have a positive influence on adolescents, increasing self-esteem and producing a more positive body image. A systematic review of published articles over the past 10 years until June 2022 was conducted according to the PRISMA statement employing the electronic databases MEDLINE and Web of Science (639 records) to summarize the literature on the relationship between body image dissatisfaction (BID) and assessed by figural scales and practice of structured and unstructured PA in adolescents (10–18 years), taking into account BMI and/or weight status. All articles were independently reviewed using inclusion/exclusion criteria, retrieved data, and assessed quality with the adapted Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies. The main finding of interest that emerged from most of the 28 included studies is the negative association between BID and PA during adolescence: as PA increases, BID decreases. However, this updated systematic review also identified some flaws in the existing literature, highlighting the need for high-quality adolescent research using validated figural scales and objective PA assessments. In conclusion, the reviewed studies showed that PA involvement can be efficacious in protecting from body image perception concerns and enhancing body satisfaction. Future interventions should promote structured and unstructured PA during adolescence to improve self-esteem and body image.
... In sport and exercise psychology research, body image has received much attention and has been recognized as an important factor associated with physical activity and sports behavior [1]. The definition of body image states that "it is a multidimensional construct focusing on both the appearance and functioning of the body" [1]. ...
... In sport and exercise psychology research, body image has received much attention and has been recognized as an important factor associated with physical activity and sports behavior [1]. The definition of body image states that "it is a multidimensional construct focusing on both the appearance and functioning of the body" [1]. The perceptual dimension is how a person perceives and describes their appearance and body functioning, while the cognitive dimension assesses thoughts about body appearance and functioning [1,2]. ...
... The definition of body image states that "it is a multidimensional construct focusing on both the appearance and functioning of the body" [1]. The perceptual dimension is how a person perceives and describes their appearance and body functioning, while the cognitive dimension assesses thoughts about body appearance and functioning [1,2]. Body image has become a popular topic over the past 40 years [3]. ...
Female athletes experience both sociocultural and sport-specific pressures of an ideal body and appearance and are vulnerable to dissatisfaction with their bodies. Among sport-specific pressures, the type of sport is a predictor of body image dissatisfaction. The study included 150 females: 50 volleyball players, 50 bodybuilding and fitness athletes, and 50 female students, who were the control group. Body composition and perception and evaluation of one’s own body were assessed. BMI was similar in the study group of female athletes and the control group, but the bodybuilding and fitness athletes had the lowest body fat, while the control group had the highest. Perception of one’s own body in the aspect of the evaluation of specific body parts was highest among bodybuilding and fitness athletes, while in the aspect of body condition, the best results were obtained by volleyball players. Most female volleyball players were dissatisfied with their current body weight, as were women in the control group, in contrast to female bodybuilding and fitness athletes, who were most often satisfied with their current body weight.
... Whilst it has been recognised that physical education has the potential to create state increases in body dissatisfaction (Kerner et al., 2018), it has also been positioned as a body-focused subject (Armour, 1999). It is a curriculum area that has a role to play in supporting the development of body image due to the relationships between body image and physical activity (Sabiston et al., 2019) and the potential for the subject to focus on the functional qualities of the body (Youth Select Committee, 2017). ...
... Previous systematic reviews have explored the impact of body image programmes, interventions or curricula in classroom-based settings (Yager et al., 2013) and the relationship between body image and physical activity (Sabiston et al., 2019). The systematic review of classroom-based programmes included studies that the authors categorised as 'regular classroom-curriculum settings' (Yager et al., 2013). ...
... The English Boolean data types of 'and', 'or', and '*' were used. Search terms for body image were developed using previous systematic reviews (Sabiston et al., 2019;Yager et al., 2013), whilst also considering the multi-disciplinary nature of physical education body-focused research and the varying ways that discontent with the body has been defined. This review therefore explored body image and related phenomena that considered content or discontent with physical appearance, with all terms discussed and agreed upon by the research team. ...
Body image has implications for child and adolescent well-being. Schools have been positioned as a suitable site to provide body image education and support the development of body image; however, little is known about the role of physical education in body image education. The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence on the content and effectiveness of physical education-based body image or body-focused programmes published between 2000 and 2021. Using seven databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS, EBSCO, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Science Direct, and SportDiscus), a total of 1185 non-duplicated articles were retrieved. The articles were selected using the following inclusion criteria: (a) intervention, programme or curriculum based in physical education that explores body image or related phenomena, (b) focused on children or young people, aged 18 years or younger, (c) conducted between 2000 and 2021, (d) quantitative and/or qualitative methods: and (e) published in English. Following the screening process, a total of 19 articles were included in this review. Results showed that most programmes reported successful outcomes, yet there was no consistent approach to the programme design and delivery. Physical activity and fitness-based programmes were the most frequently used intervention type, followed by critical sociocultural perspectives and programmes focused on movement experiences and body functionality. Whilst fitness-based programmes were generally effective in improving body image and related phenomena, future research should explore the mechanisms associated with these changes and further consider how sociocultural perspectives can be used to support body image programmes.
... 19 Past research on body image and PA has tended to examine PA as an avenue to alleviate a negative body image. 20 However, the role of body image as an antecedent of PA is less clear. 20 Research findings on this relationship are inconsistent, with greater body satisfaction being linked to both lower 21 and higher PA engagement. ...
... 20 However, the role of body image as an antecedent of PA is less clear. 20 Research findings on this relationship are inconsistent, with greater body satisfaction being linked to both lower 21 and higher PA engagement. 22 Past research on body image and PA has also tended to examine the affective aspects of body image (eg, body satisfaction), without accounting for the evaluative and behavioral dimensions. ...
... 22 Past research on body image and PA has also tended to examine the affective aspects of body image (eg, body satisfaction), without accounting for the evaluative and behavioral dimensions. 20 However, a comprehensive understanding of the body image and PA relationship requires an evaluation of its key components. While there is evidence of body dissatisfaction being linked to higher MVPA in South Africa, 13 there are no known studies that have examined the relationship between multifaceted body image and PA in the Botswana adult population. ...
Background:
Growing evidence of lower physical activity (PA), higher sedentary behavior, and prevalence of overweight and obesity in African countries calls for more research on PA behavior and its various correlates in this context. This study examined the proportion of adults meeting World Health Organization PA guidelines from 3 urban regions of Botswana, as well as the relationship among sociodemographic factors, body image, and participation in moderate to vigorous PA.
Methods:
Using a 2-stage stratified cluster sampling approach, cross-sectional data were collected from 699 participants (females = 66%; M = 32.60 y; SD = 11.96).
Results:
Overall, 45.8% of participants met World Health Organization PA guidelines. Censored regression analyses indicated that females (B = -221.573, P < .001), and individuals from middle- (B = -331.913, P < .001), and high-income (B = -165.185, P = .036) households spent significantly less minutes in moderate to vigorous PA per week. Evaluative (B = -333.200, P < .001) and affective (B = -158.753, P = .038) components of body image were associated with significantly less minutes spent in moderate to vigorous PA per week.
Conclusions:
A systematic approach to PA promotion that targets females, middle- to high-income groups, and individuals experiencing body image concerns is needed.
... Participation in sport might be a correlate, antecedent, or consequence of body image, and causal associations between sport participation and body image are unclear [37]. Understanding the mechanisms that might help to explain the role of sport participation in the associations between sociocultural factors, body image, and eating behaviours is important for science and practice. ...
... Understanding the mechanisms that might help to explain the role of sport participation in the associations between sociocultural factors, body image, and eating behaviours is important for science and practice. Sports contexts are highly social, and the body is constantly displayed as an object of evaluation [37]. A recent qualitative study demonstrated that despite the use of evidence-based strategies to promote a positive body image, many coaches indirectly endorse stereotyped internalization of body ideals and selfobjectification [20]. ...
... The experience of body shame was associated with lower reported engagement in leisure-time exercise [40]. However, the type of sport and nature of participation might have a different influences on body image, disordered eating, and self-objectification of adolescents [15,37]. ...
Purpose
The aim of the present study was to test a partial sociocultural model of integrated tripartite influence and objectification theories in adolescent girls and to assess the moderating role of participation in sport.
Methods
This study is part of a larger research that involved a sample of adolescent girls and boys from the 11th grade. In the present study, data on 842 girls were analysed. The mean age of the sample was 16.9 ± 0.5 years. The adolescent girls completed online questionnaires assessing internalization of thin body ideals, disordered eating attitudes and behaviours, and self-objectification, as well as various aspects of participation in sports. To assess the primary hypotheses, moderated mediation models were tested.
Results
Self-objectification mediated associations between internalization of thin body ideals and disordered eating attitudes and behaviours in adolescent girls. Participation in an achievement sport moderated the association between internalization of thin body ideals and self-objectification, but not between the latter and disordered eating attitudes and behaviours. Internalization of thin body ideals was not significantly associated with self-objectification in girls participating in achievement sport. The association between internalization of thin body ideals and self-objectification was stronger in adolescent girls not involved in any sports activities than in leisure-time exercisers.
Conclusion
It is important to promote involvement in sport for all adolescent girls, since it might help them to decrease the negative effect of internalization of thin body ideals on self-objectification and to value body functions over appearance. Decreasing self-objectification and teaching about body functionality might be an effective strategy in programmes aimed at decreasing disordered eating in adolescent girls participating in achievement sport.
Level of evidence
Level of evidence V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
... Previous studies of adolescent and adult samples have linked body image concerns to lower autonomous motivation toward physical activity, extrinsic exercise motives (e.g., exercising solely for appearance-related reasons), less enjoyment of physical activity, and exercise avoidance (Carmona et al., 2015;Ingledew & Sullivan, 2002;Markland & Ingledew, 2007;Sabiston, Pila, Vani & Thogersen-Ntoumani, 2019). It has also been argued that body image concerns can affect academic achievement, as the social anxiety associated with body image concerns may lead to fear of failure, avoidance, and absenteeism (Lodewyk et al., 2009;Yanover & Thompson, 2008). ...
... The appearance body image dimensions were negatively related to the RAI, and although the findings were somewhat mixed, social physique anxiety emerged as a consistent predictor of lower autonomous motivation. Although these specific findings are novel, they correspond with previous literature indicating an intricate interplay between body image and external versus intrinsic forms of motivational regulations (e.g., Sabiston et al., 2019). In their study on 9-to 12-year-olds, Allen et al. (2019) showed significant associations between a more positive sense of the body's functional capabilities and PE enjoyment, but they did not include any measure of aesthetic body image. ...
Physical education (PE) is an essential school subject due to its potential to promote well-being and health in all children. Yet, PE stands out among other subjects in terms of truancy. This study is one of the first to examine if unexcused absence from PE is associated with early adolescents' body image and autonomous motivation towards PE. A total of 526 Swedish 6th graders (Mage = 12.28, SD = 0.31) reported the frequency of unexcused absence from PE and answered questions about aesthetic and functional body image, social physique anxiety, and autonomous motivation. Findings showed that unexcused absence from PE was associated with less autonomous motivation and higher social physique anxiety. Participants who had never been absent reported higher functional body image investment and satisfaction. Analyses showed that whereas the aesthetic aspects of body image were associated with decreased autonomous motivation toward PE, functional aspects predicted higher autonomous motivation. The study sheds novel light on the links between absence from PE, body image, and autonomous motivation. As absence may have real-life practical effects for school achievement, health, and well-being, the findings demonstrate the importance of mitigating social physique anxiety and promoting an inclusive and body positive PE context early on.
... For instance, Fernández-Bustos et al. [48] found that physical activity, as well as body mass index, directly affect body image: individuals practicing sport or physical activity report lower scores on many measures capturing negative body image constructs. Nevertheless, the nature of this relationship between physical activity and body dissatisfaction should be considered as bi-directional since body image has the potential to deter or motivate physical activity and sport participation [49]. To this regard, it is worthy to mention that higher amounts of sedentary time spent using digital media increases the risk for pre-teens of being overweight. ...
... Furthermore, physical activity represents a valid tool to face stressful situations [8,68]; also, participation in physical and sport activities is related to a less negative and more positive body image [49]. ...
The use of social media has been increasing among pre-teens, affecting body satisfaction and leading to the development of a dualism between real and virtual identities. It is also associated with low physical activity levels. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the influence of dualism and physical activity levels on body satisfaction in male and female pre-teens. A sample of 2378 Italian pre-teens (Mage = 12.02 years, SD = 0.82) was recruited. Two anonymous and self- administered questionnaires were used to investigate social media use, the representation of the bodies through the social media, body image, and physical activity levels. Descriptive statistics were computed for all variables; Pearson’s Chi square and Cramer’s V were calculated to assess gender differences. Linear mixed models were used to explore the association between body satisfaction (dependent variable) and physical activity levels and the dualism (independent variables). It emerged that physical activity positively influences body satisfaction for both males and females; dualism negatively influences body satisfaction only for females. Therefore, it can be assumed that the engagement of pre-teens in offline activities counteracts the undesirable consequences of the beauty ideal models proposed by image-centred social media platforms.
... Previous studies have found that COVID-19 health beliefs can help people take effective preventive measures [25,26]; therefore, the establishment of good health beliefs has a certain impact on physical activity motivation and behavior. Physical exercise motivation is generally divided into physical health, appearance, entertainment, social communication, and other aspects [14,21,27]. Perceived exercise benefits allow participants to feel the physical benefits of exercise while performing it, so that people enjoy exercise. ...
... However, groups with different educational levels and social backgrounds also have different health beliefs. People with higher educational backgrounds have more advantages in the process of establishing personal health beliefs [27,28], as well as richer knowledge reserves and life experience. This is consistent with the results of this study. ...
International students have the special status of being isolated in a foreign country during a pandemic. As Korea is a worldwide leader in education, it is important to understand the physical exercise behaviors of international students during this pandemic to assess the need for additional policies and support. The health belief model was used to score the physical exercise motivation and behaviors of international students in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 315 valid questionnaires were obtained and analyzed for this study. The reliability and validity of the data were also assessed. For all variables, the values for combined reliability and the Cronbach’s α were higher than 0.70. The following conclusions were drawn by comparing the differences between the measures. The results of the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin and Bartlett tests were also higher than 0.70, confirming high reliability and validity. This study found a correlation between the health beliefs of international students and age, education, and accommodation. Consequently, international students with lower health belief scores should be encouraged to pay more attention to their personal health, participate in more physical exercise, strengthen their motivation to participate in physical exercise, and increase the frequency of their participation.
... Alternatively, social body image is in reference to an individual's evaluation of their body within the context of their daily life (De Bruin & Oudejans, 2018;De Bruin et al., 2011). Several studies have investigated the transiency of body satisfaction in reference to athletic and social body image (Beckner & Record;Krane et al., 2004;Sabiston et al., 2019;Sabiston et al., 2020). This concept explains that female athletes often positively interpret their body as tools for successful performance and therefore evaluate their body image positively. ...
... The study design allowed researchers to identify a variety of influences on body dissatisfaction to be grouped into core themes. The conception of themes is critical to better understand the relationship between body image and sport-a relationship that other researchers have described as complex, dynamic, bidirectional, acute, and chronic (Sabiston et al., 2019). ...
There is an abundance of research explaining the physical and psychological benefits of sport and exercise. Some research suggests sport and exercise may act as a protective factor against body dissatisfaction for adolescent females (Fernández-Bustos et al., 2019; Soulliard et al. 2019). However, it is unclear if adolescent females’ experiences in specific sport settings contribute to perceptions about their bodies. Therefore, this study investigated body perception and its sociocultural influences in adolescent females in team sports versus adolescent females in individual sports. Three focus groups of team sport athletes and two focus groups of individual sport athletes, ages 14-16 years, were conducted. The following four core themes were identified around influences and messaging in sport related to the athletes’ bodies: relationships among teammates and coaches, self-concept, functionality, and social influence. Based on these themes, the findings indicate adolescent female athletes may view sport as a helpful tool to reduce or counteract body dissatisfaction, particularly in team sport athletes. However, sport may not entirely reduce the negative impact from normative and potentially harmful messages surrounding body weight and image, both of which are pervasive in society, the media, and relationships with influential individuals, such as friends, family, and coaches.
... Public attention to students' bodies might be a source of stress for some students, especially those with lower physical competencies [10]. There is some evidence that a student's satisfaction with the body is related to the greater PA and perceived sport-promoting effect of PE [11,12]. Conversely, body dissatisfaction in PE decreases an adolescent's satisfaction and enjoyment of PE, and lowers achievements in it [9,13,14]. ...
... Research shows that physically active adolescent boys and girls demonstrate fewer body image concerns and greater positive body image [11,30]. An analysis of PA-based interventions concluded that these interventions, especially when implemented in school settings, are beneficial for developing positive physical self-perception in adolescents, and especially for the perceptions of sport competence and physical fitness [31]. ...
Concerns about body image might prevent adolescents from participating in physical education (PE) classes and physical activities during leisure-time. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the relationships between teacher support of autonomy, student motivations for PE, and positive body image, in a sample of Lithuanian adolescents. A total of 715 adolescents (51.89% girls) participated in the study. Ages ranged from 14 to 18 years, with a mean age of 16.00 (SD = 0.79) for girls and 15.99 (SD = 0.75) for boys. The questionnaire consisted of demographic questions, the Learning Climate Questionnaire, the Revised Perceived Locus of Causality in Physical Education Questionnaire, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, the Self-Report Habit Index for Physical Activity (PA), perceived physical fitness (PPF), and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. The results showed that teacher support for students’ autonomy was associated with higher positive body image. In adolescent girls, autonomous motivation for PE was the mediator between teacher support of autonomy and positive body image. The associations between self-determined motivation in PE and positive body image were mediated by PPF on one hand, and through PA habits and PPF on the other hand of the structural equation model (in girls). PA habits moderated associations between PE motivation and PPF. Associations between PE motivation and PPF were stronger in girls with the lowest PA habits compared to girls with mean PA habits. These results suggest that PE classes are important for promoting students’ positive body images. PE teachers are advised to use pedagogical strategies that promote the self-determined motivation of students for PE. Increased self-determined motivation for physical education might be an effective strategy for physical self-perception and positive body image promotion in adolescent girls, especially those with low PA habits.
... PA is one of the various factors that have a positive effect on body image (BI). BI is a multidimensional construct that refers to an individual's subjective representation of their body [14][15][16]. Evidence showed that a negative BI may be correlated with a high level of mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, as well as low self-esteem [17,18]. ...
... More studies are needed to determine the effects of PA on BI in young and older adults. The mechanisms behind the effects of PA on BI are not well understood; however, evidence suggested that PA may result in actual changes in one's body shape and/or weight, perceived changes in one's shape and/or weight, and improved perceptions of self-efficacy [15,16]. ...
Significant evidence suggests that regular physical activity (PA) is correlated with numerous psychological benefits in adults such as improving body image and quality of life. However, this issue has not been differentiated between young and older adults. In addition, most previous studies used a self-reported questionnaire for measuring PA, the objectivity of which is limited in several ways. Hence, by using accelerometer technology for monitoring PA, this study was designed to examine the correlations of PA with body image and quality of life in young and older adults. In this cross-sectional study, we used objective actigraphy and survey data from 147 young and older adults, including 77 young and 70 older adults from Tehran, Iran. To examine our variables and hypothesis, the following instruments were implemented: the Persian version of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), the Persian version of the Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), and the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT for measuring PA. An independent t-test and a multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The weekly PA of both young and older adults was found to be lower than the recommended amount. Young adults engaged in significantly more weekly PA than older adults. For young adults, PA (including MPA, VPA, and MVPA) was generally found to be significantly correlated with body image and quality of life. For older adults, however, we found only significant correlations between VPA and quality of life. These findings indicated that PA is a critical concern in adults, particularly older adults. Accordingly, it is necessary to adopt appropriate strategies to promote an active lifestyle among adults.
... A wealth of data have supported that body image could be a predictor of 'exercise' participation (Sabiston et al., 2019), but only a few studies explore the effect of body image on the border scope-lifestyle PA. Meanwhile, existing studies found positive body image are associated with greater lifestyle PA behaviour (Faro et al., 2021;Rote et al., 2013), but the association between negative body image and lifestyle PA cannot be concluded consistently. ...
... Third, the cross-sectional design of this investigation did not permit examination of temporal or cause-and-effect relationships. As the review suggested (Sabiston et al., 2019), the relationship between body image and PA is bi-directional, it is necessary to use longitudinal cohort studies to emphasize the bi-directional relationship. Forth, although wrist worn accelerometer are valid and reliable measures of the most frequent form of physical activity, they cannot accurately assess cycling, water activities or activities that do not involve a great deal of arm movements. ...
Previously, lots of evidence has supported that sociocultural pressure and body image can predict people’s participation of exercise, yet only a few studies have examined their impact on lifestyle physical activity (PA), which has been proven to be as effective as structured exercise in health and weight management. The study aims to examine an extended sociocultural model by using multi-dimensional body image concerns and objectively measured lifestyle PA data from a large sample. The study included 1557 young adults (68.10% female) aged 18–26 years. Sociocultural pressure and body image concerns were assessed using Perceived Sociocultural Pressure Scale (PSPS) and Negative Physical Self Scale (NPSS). Five-days’ lifestyle PA was measured objectively by accelerometer. Results indicated that the relationship between women’ s PSPS and light PA was fully mediated through their fatness concern (indirect effect = -.22, p < .05) and facial appearance concern (indirect effect = -.25, p < .05). The relationship between men’s PSPS and light PA was fully mediated by their fatness concern (indirect effect = -.19, p < .05). In addition, men’s fatness concern as well as their shortness concern emerged as two significant mediators for the relationship between PSPS and time spent in moderate-vigorous PA (fatness: indirect effect = .19, p < .01; shortness: indirect effect = .17, p < .01). The study supports the sociocultural model as an explanatory model for lifestyle PA behavior, and suggests that unchangeable domains of body image might be the stronger mediators of the relationship between sociocultural pressures and PA behavior.
... Physical activity is associated with BI in adults [27], and that association can be described as causal. Some authors stated that regular physical activity is positively correlated with BI, as well as that negative BI is associated with a lower level of physical activity and, as such, it is a barrier for taking part in physical activity [28]. Hausenblas and Fallon [29] stated that a physically active adult population had a positive BI and that, after the exercise cycle, the respondents ended up with a better BI. ...
... Because participation in physical activities frequently depends on BI [28], we can consider BI as an important construct that is worth examining in the context of physical activity and that a similar relationship exists between BMI and physical activity. Apparently, both parameters are related to QoL, and therefore, physical activity and BMI, as well as BI, should be combined as related parameters, and their effect on QoL should be determined and understood. ...
Body mass index (BMI) and body image (BI) are constructs worth examining in the context of physical activity (PA), and they are both related to quality of life (QoL). PA, BMI, and BI should all be considered as associated parameters, and their effect on QoL should be examined and understood. This study aimed to determine the moderating role of PA in the relationship of BMI and BI with QoL. The sample of examinees consisted of 500 respondents (307 women; aged 39 ± 6 years). A physical activity self-evaluation questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) was used to estimate PA; BI was evaluated by using the Body Image Dimensional Assessment (BIDA) questionnaire, while QoL was determined with the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. The results showed that vigorous PA moderates the relationship between BMI and social relationships in adults (Sig. = 0.000). Walking and vigorous PA affect the relationship between BMI and environmental health (Sig. = 0.017 and Sig. = 0.049, respectively). Both walking (Sig. = 0.035) and moderate PA (Sig. = 0.032) alternate the relationships between BI and social relationships. Walking (Sig. = 0.000) and vigorous PA (Sig. = 0.016) moderate the relationship between BI and environmental health. The influence of PA on the moderation of the relationship of BMI and BI with physical and psychological health in the working population was not statistically significant.
... The ultimate aim of TGC is to promote physical activity behavior. This is a critically important aim given the low levels of physical activity among females in particular (Guthold et al., 2018) and findings showing that body image concerns serve as a barrier to physical activity (Sabiston et al., 2019). Yet, only the study by examined as one of their outcomes exercise intentions. ...
... The primary aim of TGC was to promote physical activity among women, and results from Study 1 showed that key correlates of physical activity behavior, including body appreciation (Sabiston et al., 2019) and self-compassion (Phillips & Hine, 2021;Wong et al., 2021), can be improved via exposure to the campaign. However, it still leaves the question as to whether, and how, the campaign is efficacious in improving physical activity, which was therefore examined in Study 2. ...
This Girl Can is a campaign designed to empower women to increase physical activity. The campaign uses images/videos of women of diverse body weights/shapes, ages and ethnicities being physically active, emphasizing body functionality. First, we examined the effects of multi-session (N = 3) exposures to This Girl Can on body functionality, body appreciation and self-compassion (Study 1). Second, we explored if autonomous motivation for physical activity mediated effects of This Girl Can on physical activity (Study 2). Women (Study 1: N = 186, M (SD) age = 27.55 (14.01); Study 2: N = 153, M (SD) age = 28.31 (11.70)) were randomized to This Girl Can, or control videos/images depicting idealized women of thin/athletic body types being physically active (Study 1), or control videos highlighting physical activity benefits (Study 2). Outcomes were measured at baseline, post-test and 1-week follow-up. Study 1 results showed significant group by time interactions for body functionality (decreasing in the control group), body appreciation and self-compassion (both increased only in the experimental conditions). In Study 2, path analysis revealed no statistically significant mediation effect (ab = 13.18, 95 % CI [-107.92, 152.59]) of autonomous motivation. Future interventions designed to promote positive body image and self-compassion should incorporate media focusing on diverse women engaging in self-chosen physical activity.
... Therefore, BI assessment and surveillance are essential across the lifespan, from childhood to adulthood, and are especially critical during adolescence [6,14,15]. Multiple dimensions of one's body image may be implicated in the participation of physical activity and sport behaviour [16], since body image is relevant as a correlate, antecedent and consequence of physical activity behaviour [17]. ...
... The relationship between BI and PF components is a field to explore since most research focuses on improving BI through PA interventions [17], or observing how interventions affect BI in specific populations [68,69]. Thus, better PF is positively related to all the MBSRQ dimensions, except for flexibility. ...
Body image is a complex construct related to how each person perceives their own body and how they value it. Physical fitness and physical activity are factors that can influence the perception of a better or worse body image. This study aimed to identify the potential associations between body image and physical fitness self-perception in future Spanish teachers, analysing possible sex-related differences. A total of 278 Spanish university students answered the Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire and the International Fitness Scale, having an average age of 22 years, of which 40% were men and 60% were women. Nonparametric techniques (Spearman’s Rho test) were used as the data did not fit normality. The findings showed associations between body image and perceived physical fitness, confirming differences between the sexes. Correlations were found between the first three dimensions of the Multidimensional Body Self Relations and the International Fitness Scale, with sex-related differences being more significant in women than in men, and between the physical abilities self-assessed by the International Fitness Scale (except flexibility) and the dimensions of the Multidimensional Body Self Relations (except Dimension 4). Since body image influences well-being and conditions the time spent exercising, public health organisations and universities should design supports to improve master students’ body image through physical activity programmes, education and sex-specific individualised attention.
... Researchers have suggested that the physique-salient nature of sport may encourage a dysfunctional preoccupation with body shape and weight, distort body shape perceptions, heighten body image investment, and subsequently act as a barrier to sport participation (Bevan et al., 2021;Krane & Kaus, 2014;Lunde & Gattario, 2017;Mosewich et al., 2009;Petrie, 2020;Rudd & Carter, 2006;Sabiston et al., 2019). In addition, dissatisfaction with the body in the sport environment can thwart the development of positive body image and may be associated with the development of clinical eating disorders (Kong & Harris, 2015). ...
... The reported findings of these programs tended to focus on disordered eating psychopathology, and authors provided limited evaluations of body image-specific indicators (e.g., thin ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction). Given the associations between negative body image, disordered eating behaviours, and low sport participation among adolescent girls (Kong & Harris, 2015;Sabiston et al., 2019;Slater & Tiggemann, 2010), stand-alone body image interventions are needed for adolescent girls in the sport environment. Additionally, recognizing that body image is comprised of both negative and positive facets (Cash & Smolak, 2011), athlete-specific body image interventions should also consider targeting positive indicators of body image such as body appreciation, functionality appreciation, embodiment, and body image flexibility. ...
Despite the evidenced benefits of participating in organized sport, adolescent girls consistently report lower rates of sport participation, worse sport experiences, and higher dropout rates, compared to boys. Body image concerns have been linked to this gender disparity and established as a critical predictor of disordered eating, thus necessitating effective prevention efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of body image concerns and disordered eating for adolescent girls. In partnership with the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC; Canada), the present scoping review was conducted to examine the nature and characteristics of sport-specific body image and disordered eating interventions for adolescent girls. Fourteen studies were identified through various search strategies. Over half of the studies demonstrated modest yet worthwhile effects on various body image and disordered eating outcomes. Intervention characteristics (i.e., frequency, modes of delivery, topics, material, outcomes measured) varied across initiatives. Fifty-nine national, provincial, and local sport system representatives were consulted as stakeholders and provided practical input to the results of the scoping review. Sport stakeholders favoured the delivery of a multidimensional, multicomponent program, with a combination of evidence-based techniques. This synthesis of knowledge will shape the development and dissemination of future programs, and contribute to the development of equitable sport participation opportunities for Canadian girls.
... Contrary to study hypotheses, there were no significant differences by condition on intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, amotivation, or intent to re-engage in physical activity. Since adolescent girls face ubiquitous appearance and weight-focused messages as well as opportunities for social comparison in physical activity contexts (Sabiston et al., 2019), it is possible that many girls have "tuned out" of their intrinsic reasons for physical activity in lieu of extrinsic reasons that have the potential to enhance belonging and acceptance, which are highly important goals in adolescents (Crosnoe, 2011). It is also possible that the self-compassion writing task may have only temporarily prompted participants to detach from external pressures to engage in the physical activity described, but the brief nature of the self-compassion task was not potent enough for participants to cultivate or recognize their intrinsic and valued reasons to engage in that physical activity. ...
Adolescent girls commonly report weight-stigmatizing experiences in physical activity contexts, which may contribute to negative experiences and lower rates of participation. As such, psychological intervention strategies that target the negative effects of weight stigma on girls’ physical activity experiences may be beneficial. The aim of the present study was to test group differences in physical activity motivation among adolescent girls who engaged in a self-compassion writing, compared to a neutral writing induction, after
recalling a weight-stigmatizing physical activity experience. In an online brief experimental task, 195 adolescent girls (Mage = 16.95, SD = 1.24) recalled a weight-stigmatizing experience in physical activity and were randomized to a self-compassionate writing (n = 98) or attentional control condition (n = 97). Using a between-subjects postmanipulation design, participants self-reported their motivation and intent to re-engage in future physical activity. Compared to the attentional control group, girls in the self-compassion condition reported lower levels of external motivation (η2 = .057), though no between-condition differences were detected for other psychosocial correlates of physical activity (i.e., intent to re-engage in physical activity, identified regulation, intrinsic motivation, amotivation). Although the results show initial promise
for the utility of a brief self-compassion induction using a randomized experimental design, future research should integrate pretest assessments to determine the extent to which cultivating self-compassion can combat the negative effects associated with weight-stigmatizing experiences in physical activity among
adolescent girls.
... Pieces of evidences support the sociocultural theory which suggests social agents including the media, peers, and parents as determinants of internalized body shape ideals, and the most of time, these ideals are unrealistic ideals of body shape, thus leading to body image dissatisfaction 15,16 . Body image dissatisfaction can cause eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder 17 and lowering physical activity 18 . Therefore social media engagement or addiction might affect eating behaviors by increasing body image concerns. ...
Social media (SM) exerts important effects on health-related behaviors such as eating behaviors (EB). The present study was designed to determine the direct and indirect association of SM addiction with EB in adolescents and young adults through body image (BI). In this cross-sectional study, 12–22 years old adolescents and young adults, with no history of mental disorders or psychiatric medications usage were studied through an online questionnaire shared via SM platforms. Data were gathered about SM addiction, BI, and EB in its sub-scales. A single approach and multi-group path analyses were performed to find possible direct and indirect associations of SM addiction with EB through BI concerns. Overall, 970 subjects, 55.8% boys, were included in the analysis. Both multi-group (β = 0.484, SE = 0.025, P < 0.001) and fully-adjusted (β = 0.460, SE = 0.026, P < 0.001) path analyses showed higher SM addiction is related to disordered BI. Furthermore, the multi-group analysis showed one unit increment in SM addiction score was associated with 0.170 units higher scores for emotional eating (SE = 0.032, P < 0.001), 0.237 for external stimuli (SE = 0.032, P < 0.001), and 0.122 for restrained eating (SE = 0.031, P < 0.001). The present study revealed that SM addiction is associated with EB both directly and also indirectly through deteriorating BI in adolescents and young adults.
... Although athletes have generally reported less negative body image compared with exercisers or non-athletes (Hausenblas & Symons Downs, 2001), Sabiston et al. (2019) suggested that the relationship between sport and body image is complex, potentially due to the sport environment, which highlights both the body's appearance and functional capabilities. In addition to sociocultural pressures from family, friends, and popular media to uphold an unrealistic muscular ideal, athletes also experience sport-specific body pressures from coaches, teammates, and trainers to obtain and maintain a body that is conducive to their respective sport (Petrie & Greenleaf, 2012;Tiggemann, 2011). ...
Negative body image often occurs as a result of social evaluation of the physique in men. Social self-preservation theory (SSPT) holds that social-evaluative threats (SETs) elicit consistent psychobiological responses (i.e., salivary cortisol and shame) to protect one’s social-esteem, status, and standing. Actual body image SETs have resulted in psychobiological changes consistent with SSPT in men; however, responses in athletes have yet to be examined. These responses may differ as athletes tend to experience fewer body image concerns compared with non-athletes. The purpose of the current study was to examine psychobiological (i.e., body shame and salivary cortisol) responses to an acute laboratory body image SET in 49 male varsity athletes from non-aesthetic sports and 63 male non-athletes from a university community. Participants (age range 18–28 years) were randomized into a high or low body image SET condition, stratified by athlete status; measures of body shame and salivary cortisol were taken across the session (i.e., pre, post, 30-min post, 50-min post-intervention). There were significant time-by-condition interactions, such that athletes and non-athletes had significant increases in salivary cortisol (F3,321 = 3.34, p = .02), when controlling for baseline values, and state body shame (F2.43,262.57 = 4.58, p = .007) following the high-threat condition only. Consistent with SSPT, body image SETs led to increased state body shame and salivary cortisol, although there were no differences in these responses between non-athletes and athletes.
... In addition, it was also possible to verify that the level of physical activity did not significantly influence the level of mood, in The variations that DTH showed a reduction in the SA and MA groups may mean that physical exercise had an influence on this issue, which is also in line with the academic findings that demonstrate that the practice of physical activity is associated with a better mood and behavioral condition (Campanhã et al., 2021;de Souza Zanini et al., 2022;Mikkelsen et al., 2017), as the brain releases hormones that help to deal with psychological disorders, and also act to reduce pain, causing relaxation, improving the condition of life and decreasing the level of stress. (Gonçalves, 2018;Saeed et al., 2019;Schuch & Stubbs, 2019) In addition, another aspect that can interfere as well as be modified by stress, mood and anxiety is the perception of body image (Silva et al., 2019;Soares Filho et al., 2020), however, in the same way, physical exercise has the ability to influence this factor, given its direct correlation with self-confidence, self-esteem (Sabiston et al., 2019;Seddighian et al., 2020). In this study, changes in body perception were not observed in the general sample, nor when associated with the level of physical activity, this aspect being related to the age group of the sample, and with the highest prevalence of physical education students. ...
The regular practice of physical activities in the life of university students becomes secondary, either due to high academic demands or abrupt changes in lifestyle. However, as this academic environment is competitive and demanding, it can in turn change mood levels, anxiety and perception of these students; in this sense the exercise can be a great ally in facing the adversities of the academic period. Thus, the present study sought to evaluate and compare the levels of mood, anxiety and perception of body self-image of 66 university students. The results showed that the level of physical activity influenced the Total Mood Disorder (TMD), with the most active groups having an improvement over time [(SA group (6.55±29.03%, p=0.046) and MA (9.48±28.94%, p=0.023)]. However, the anxiety and self-image of the students was not verified improvement. Thus, it can be understood that higher levels of habitual physical activity can help university students in their mood patterns, thus helping with an improvement in the academic environment.
... Outside of the social benefits, personal and psychological benefits have been discovered. In the world of sport, perception of body image can be a debatable topic (Sabiston et al., 2019). There have also been links found between nature connectedness and body appreciation and self-esteem among international samples (Swami et al., 2016). ...
... Therefore, the relationship between body image and physical activity could potentially be confounded by limited access to physical activity spaces. Given the notable maladaptive changes in body image that occur within the adolescent period , and research that has touted the importance of positive and negative body image in physical activity engagement (e.g., Sabiston et al., 2019), future research should continue to investigate these associations within adolescent samples. ...
Negative weight-related experiences and internalized weight stigma have been associated with poorer body image and reduced physical activity in adolescents. However, exploring body image and physical activity as discrete weight stigma outcomes fails to consider the theoretically- and empirically-supported covariation between the two. The present study tested a novel integrated model of the associations among negative weight-related experiences and internalized weight stigma (via weight-related distress), body image (shame, authentic pride, body appreciation), and physical activity. Canadian adolescents (N = 311, Mage ± SD = 16.00 ± 1.01, 75.5% girls) completed a cross-sectional self-report survey. A structural equation model with maximum likelihood robust estimation was tested. Higher negative weight-related experiences were indirectly associated with poorer body image (i.e., higher shame; lower authentic pride and appreciation) through higher weight-related distress. Authentic pride was associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Higher negative weight-related experiences were indirectly associated with lower physical activity through higher weight-related distress and lower body-related authentic pride. These findings elucidate targetable individual mechanisms and larger systems that could improve body image and foster physical activity among adolescents who encounter negative weight-related experiences and internalized weight stigma.
... Indeed, in addition to altering one's appearance, physical activity may also have a potential effect on body image perception, although this relationship may be more complex due to its association with health promotion and physical strength (Li et al., 2016). A previous review found that physical activity may have a positive effect on body image perception (Sabiston et al., 2019). A recent study similarly confirmed this finding, particularly that moderate and vigorous physical activity was strongly associated with body image problems in young women and adolescents (Miranda et al., 2021). ...
Objective
With the popularization and development of online media technology, more and more women are paying attention to their body image and physical behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of online sexual objectification experience on the physical activity of female college students and verify the mediating role of body-image depression between them.
Methods
A cross-sectional convenient sample of 882 female college students from four universities in Hubei Province completed an online survey, and the Online Sexual Objectification Experience Scale (OSOES), the Body-Image Depression Questionnaire, and the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS) were used to collect the data. The mediating effect of the association between online sexual objectification experience and physical activity, was examined using the process procedure in SPSS and the bootstrap method.
Results
Online sexual objectification experience was significantly positively correlated with physical activity ( r = 0.420, p < 0.01). Body-image depression was significantly negatively correlated with online sexual objectification experience and physical activity ( r = −0.484, p < 0.01; r = −0.569, p < 0.01). Online sexual objectification experience can affect physical activity directly (β = 6.49, p < 0.001, effect value 44.97%) and also indirectly through body-image depression (β = 7.95, p < 0.001, effect value 55.03%); there were significant differences between major and education-level categories in body-image depression and physical activity.
Conclusion
Both online sexual objectification experience and body-image depression can promote physical activity among female college students, and body-image depression has a mediating effect between online sexual objectification experience and physical activity.
... There is extensive research indicating that the presentation and transformation of the bodyin terms of the physical self, fitness and appearance (what sociologists refer to broadly as physical and symbolic capitals)increases in personal and social significance during youth, especially among girls (see, e.g. Beltrán-Carrillo et al., 2018;Eriksen et al., 2017;Sabiston et al., 2019;Strandbu & Kvalem, 2014;Wiklund et al., 2019). Just how young people's perceptions of physicality, physical fitness and physical appearance relate to their understandings of health and PA remains unclear, however. ...
In this paper we explore how 15–16-year-old Norwegians experience social and cultural norms that shape their relationship with health and physical activity (PA) in a country where participation in PA is normative, in the sense that it is not only a widely shared practice but, in having significant cultural traction, is commonly understood as a ‘normal’ part of Norwegian daily life. The study draws upon qualitative data generated from 31 focus groups involving 148 10th graders (15–16-year-olds) in eight secondary schools in Norway. A key finding was that health was primarily viewed as synonymous with physical health and physical health as closely related to PA. A symbolic marker for physical condition – and, by extension, physical health – was physical appearance and ‘looks’ (in other words, physical attractiveness), revolving around gender normative bodily ‘shape’. In this vein, the youngsters tended towards individualistic views of health – seeing health as a responsibility that lay largely in their hands. We argue that the significance of growing up and living in a wealthy, social democratic nation-state, with high living standards and high social and cultural expectations, can have profound implications for youngsters’ perceptions of health and PA, the impact of neoliberalism notwithstanding.
... In the athletic context, there are social ideals that are frequently linked to the physique of athletes and their appearance (Sabiston et al., 2019). Body image (BI) is conceptualized as a subjective experience: Sociocultural perspectives explain the way in which everyone perceives and experiences their body. ...
Adolescence is a stage of physical growth, development, and maturation; it is therefore relevant when studying the context in which young athletes carry out their sporting activities, and when identifying the roles of environmental factors in their sporting performance. Successful athletic development is multifactorial,
including physical, psychosocial, and interpersonal aspects, and, therefore, athlete–environment interactions influence the quality of sports performance. Previous studies have revealed that supporting young athletes’ autonomy promotes their physical and emotional well-being through the enrichment of the “athletic talent
development environment” (ATDE). The objective of the present study was to review the recent literature (between January 2015 and May 2020) on the influence of physical and sociocultural factors, body image, and autonomy support on the sporting performance of adolescent athletes.
Keywords: autonomy support, sport development, sports career, sports health environments
... Literatürdeki çalışmalardan, düzenli fiziksel aktivitenin stres yönetiminde etkili olduğu, depresyonu azalttığı ve yaşamdan alınan tatmin seviyesini geliştirdiği bilinmektedir (52) . ...
... Body dissatisfaction is identified as one of the cardinal predictors of eating disorders [3][4][5], and has been associated with risk of depressive symptoms [6] and obesity [7]. By contrast, a positive body image may serve as a protective factor for developing eating disorders [8,9], and has been found to be positively associated with good mental health and healthy lifestyle choices, including engagement in physical activity [10,11]. Components of a positive body image relate to appreciation and acceptance of one's body, regardless of its appearance, as well as displaying gratitude towards the functionality and health of the body [12]. ...
Background
Body appreciation might serve as a protective factor for developing eating disorders and is associated with participation in physical activity. Less is known about whether various arenas for physical activity may be linked to body appreciation. Therefore, the current study sought to (1) identify potential associations between physical activity level and arenas for physical activity, connectedness with nature, self-compassion, and body appreciation in adults, and (2) explore physical activity level and arenas, connectedness with nature, and self-compassion as explanatory factors for body appreciation.
Methods
A total of 360 adult Norwegian inhabitants (75% women, mean (SD) age 42.58 (12.30) yrs) responded to an online questionnaire. Instruments included the Body Appreciation Scale, the Connectedness with Nature Scale, and the Self-Compassion Scale.
Results
The percentage of participants who engaged in various physical activity arenas were 98.5% for nature, 57.5% for fitness centers, and 43.0% for organized sports. Small, positive associations were found between body appreciation and the frequency of using fitness centers and nature as physical activity arenas. Self-compassion, connectedness with nature, and frequency of using fitness centers and nature as physical activity arenas explained 39% of the variance in body appreciation.
Discussion
The importance of both fitness centers and nature as arenas for physical activity to explain body appreciation was surprising and might reflect different use of fitness centers among adults compared to younger age groups.
Conclusion
Physical activity at fitness centers and in nature were positively associated with body appreciation in adults. Self-compassion, connectedness with nature, and using fitness centers and nature as arenas for physical activity, were found to explain variation in body appreciation in adults.
... /fpsyg. . (Mouchacca et al., 2013;Meadows and Bombak, 2019;Sabiston et al., 2019). The above analysis shows that weight selfstigma significantly affects engagement among obese students in physical education classes. ...
Background
This is a cross-sectional in design. It involves the mediating effects of basic psychological need satisfaction in relation to the moderating effects of teacher autonomy support regarding weight self-stigma's effect on engagement among obese students in physical education classes.
Methods
This study includes 165 Chinese high school obese students [mean age, 16.84 (±0.147) years], comprising 93 males (56.63%) and 72 females (43.63%), with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 30.453 (SD = 2.426). Participants completed the weight self-stigma questionnaire, basic psychological need satisfaction questionnaire, teacher autonomy support questionnaire, and student engagement questionnaire.
Results
Weight self-stigma and engagement among obese students were mediated by basic psychological need satisfaction. Moreover, the mediated effect of basic psychological need satisfaction was moderated by teacher autonomy support.
Conclusion
Weight self-stigma and basic psychological need satisfaction are the antecedents influencing the engagement of obese students. Notably, weight self-stigma not only directly blocks the engagement of obese students but also their engagement by hindering the acquisition of basic psychological need satisfaction. Teacher autonomy support can significantly reduce the negative impact of weight self-stigma on basic psychological need satisfaction and significantly promote engagement. Therefore, by promoting their physical education engagement, physical education teachers should strengthen the application of their supportive autonomous teaching strategies to help obese students meet their basic psychological needs.
... While discrimination, bullying, concealment and shame have been identified as risk factors for negative body image among sexual minority groups, there is a need to identify whether resource factors such as social support, resilience and comfort with one's sexuality can promote higher levels of body esteem. There is also evidence to suggest that engaging in physical activity and participating in sports is beneficial for body image as it fosters a greater focus on functionality -an aspect of positive body image (Bassett-Gunter et al., 2017;Sabiston et al., 2019); however, few studies have investigated sports participation or muscle building behaviours in sexual minority groups. Identifying behavioural factors that predict high body esteem, could yield meaningful prescriptions for strengths-based promotion of positive body image. ...
Body image and body change behaviours, as well as risk and protective factors for body esteem, were documented by sexual orientation in young adults aged 18-25 years. Cross-sectional data from My World Survey 2 Post Second Level (MWS2-PSL) were used. The sample consisted of 1,975 heterosexual, 256 gay, 169 bisexual, 89 questioning men and 4,521 heterosexual, 167 lesbian, 781 bisexual, 356 questioning and 121 pansexual women. Body esteem, body dissatisfaction and body change behaviours were profiled across sexual orientation groups. Risk factors including sexual minority stress (e.g., discrimination) and protective factors (e.g., resilience) for body esteem were analysed across groups using Chi Square Tests of Independence and Analyses of Covariance. Multiple regressions identified relationships between body esteem, body change behaviours and risk and protective factors for each group. Heterosexual men exhibited higher body esteem and lower body dissatisfaction than sexual minority men. Bisexual women demonstrated the lowest body esteem, while pansexual women exhibited lower body satisfaction versus heterosexual, lesbian and questioning women. Muscle building and weight loss attempts did not differ among women, but weight loss attempts were elevated in gay and bisexual men. Comfort with sexuality, resilience and social support were positively associated with body esteem. Risk and protective factors for body esteem varied by sexual orientation, highlighting the importance of examining these constructs separately across sexual minority subgroups.
... People deliberately decide to increase their physical activity since they recognize the overall positive effects of physical training on physical [8] and mental [9] health. Furthermore, as an incomplete listing, physical activity has positive effects on the development of metabolic diseases like type II diabetes [10], decreases fracture susceptibility [11], and also results in a positive body image [12]. In addition, in the context of an increasingly aging population, any effort to postpone agerelated involution with its effects on mobility also plays an essential role, for example for fall prevention [13] and social participation [14,15]. ...
In modern developed societies, heavy physical demands are decreasing and getting replaced by longer periods of static, low-exertion activities such as sitting or standing. To counteract this lack of physical activity, more and more people are engaging in physical activity through exercise and training. Virtually opposite training modalities are endurance and strength. We asked if back muscle endurance capacity is influenced by training mode. 38 healthy male subjects (age range 19–31 years, mean age 22.6 years) were investigated: sedentary (Control, n = 12), endurance trained (ET, n = 13), and strength trained participants (ST, n = 13). They underwent a ten-minutes isometric extension task at 50% of their upper body weight. Surface EMG was measured in the low-back region utilizing quadratic 4*4 monopolar electrode montages per side. Relative amplitude and mean frequency changes were analysed with respect to electrode position and group during the endurance task. Eight ST subjects failed to complete the endurance task. Relative amplitude and frequency changes were largest in the ST group, followed by Control and ET groups (amplitude: F 6.389, p 0.004, frequency: F 11.741, p<0.001). Further, independent of group largest amplitude increase was observed for the most upper and laterally positioned electrodes. Mean frequency changes showed no systematic spatial distribution pattern. Although, in the light of an aging population, strength training has its merits our results question the functional suitability of frequent and isolated high-impact strength training for everyday endurance requirements like doing the dishes. Fatigue related amplitude elevations are systematically distributed in the back region, showing least fatigue signs for the most caudal and medial, i.e. the lumbar paravertebral region.
... In another study on Norwegian university students indicated that female students studying sports science had higher body appreciation scores compared to other departments [38]. In a recent review of 210 publications, it has been reported that positive body image is associated with greater participation in physical activity and sports [39]. In addition, studies show that body image perception is not only linked to physical activity but also to eating behaviors [40,41]. ...
Purpose:
This study aims to examine the relationship between physical activity, eating attitude, and bigorexia nervosa among university students.
Method:
A questionnaire form consisting of sociodemographic characteristics, eating habits, the Eating Attitude Scale (EAT-40), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale (MASS) was conducted on undergraduate students at Üsküdar University.
Results:
There were 1006 students who participated in this study with a mean age of 22.58 ± 2.87 years. The median "muscle appearance satisfaction" score of the obese students was statistically higher than the normal weight and underweight students. The median score for "Obesity Anxiety" was statistically higher in underweight students than in obese ones. A one-unit increase in IPAQ scores was related to an elevation of 24.9% in the MASS and a decrease of 17.9% in the EAT-40 scores, while a one-unit increase in MASS scores was related to a reduction of 12.5% in the EAT-40 scores.
Conclusion:
Eating attitude is associated with bigorexia nervosa, and as MASS scores increase, EAT-40 scores decrease and as IPAQ scores increase, and EAT-40 scores decrease. In other words, as physical activity increases, muscle strength satisfaction elevates, and in parallel with this increase, a positive eating attitude improves.
... 29 This might be especially true when physical activity is not inherently reinforced due to participants' high weight, which leads to fears of social comparison, embarrassment, and physical discomfort. 30 It was suggested that both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and fostering the psychosocial conditions that promote said voluntary physical activity should be a focal point of future interventions. 31,32 DEFINING EMERGENT POSSIBILITIES Although associations between increased physical activity and a healthier weight in youth who specifically were overweight or obese have been found, 33,34 such treatments had minimal overall effects and, with few exceptions, their mechanisms have not been well-investigated through accepted behavioral theory. ...
IntroductionBecause only 42% of elementary school-aged children and 8% of adolescents complete the recommended amount of physical activity, programs beyond physical education are required to address this inadequacy and the associated rise in overweight/obesity. Objective
Our 18-year research program, conducted through the lens of accepted behavioral theory, field-based investigations, and predictive models intended to shape programs to address physical inactivity and high body mass index in youths, was reviewed. ResultsIn research-to-practice task 1, studies evaluated a cognitive-behavioral elementary afterschool treatment developed from principles of social cognitive theory. It provided exercise/physical activity through an individualized goal-setting perspective and training in self-regulatory skills such as restructuring unproductive self-talk. In task 2, the research program focused on favorable associations between treatment-induced improvements in physical self-concept, the overall self, physical appearance, exercise-related self-efficacy, and mood; it also focused on increased physical activity and reductions in excess weight. Program adaptations for preschool and middle school were also found productive. As the treatment model was extended in research-to-practice task 3, a refined focus on self-regulation, self-efficacy, and mood yielded findings of enhanced effects. In task 4, protocol adaptations intended for youths with severe obesity, additional diabetes risks, and candidacies for bariatric surgery were reported. Finally, the reviewed research evaluated treatment adjuncts that incorporate technology. Conclusion
Our program of field research yielded progress on physical inactivity and high body mass index in youths via psychosocial pathways. Findings suggested medical professionals more strongly attend to physical inactivity and weight issues in their young patients while seeking evidence-based methods to induce ongoing behavioral progress.
... Five titles were discovered and can be grouped into two main categories: health/medical and vulnerable populations. The three health and/or medical reviews examined literature related to; body image, physical activity, and sport (Sabiston et al., 2018), body image in patients with cardioverter-defibrillators (Frydensberg et al., 2018), and body image during menopausal transitions (Pearce et al., 2014). The remaining two reviews focused on body dissatisfaction among minority or immigrant populations (Kimber et al., 2014(Kimber et al., , 2015. ...
Social workers interact in a multitude of settings and likely encounter individuals with body image issues rendering it important to understand the way social workers approach and intervene around body image. This article presents a scoping review to systematically identify and summarize recent literature around body image in the social work literature. Objectives of the current review include a description of the extent, study characteristics, and topical areas of focus among articles meeting inclusion criteria with the intent to identify knowledge gaps and inform directions for future research. A total of 23 articles met inclusion criteria for review. Findings reveal a concentration of conceptual articles compared with empirical studies and a predominance of a psychodynamic lens. Limitations in sample populations and study designs supporting the evidence base for body image in the social work literature were also evident. Considerations for further research and implications for practice and education are discussed.
... In view of the importance of achieving a healthy body weight, there is a growing body of research that focused on factors associated with the perception of body weight throughout the world (Amaro-Rivera & Carbone, 2020; Caleyachetty et al., 2016;Colchero et al., 2014;Jang et al., 2018;Kye & Park, 2021;Park et al., 2019;Sabiston et al., 2019;Tebar et al., 2020;Tsuchiya et al., 2019;Wan Abdul Hamed & Abd Aziz, 2020). Most of these studies found significant relationships between sociodemographic factors, such as age, income and education, and body weight perception, but they focused only on developed countries. ...
This study explores the correlates of sociodemographic factors, smoking and caloric knowledge to body mass index awareness with a focus on Malaysia. Logistic regressions were estimated to examine sociodemographic factors associated with body mass index awareness. More than half of respondents were unaware of their body mass index (54.8%). Age was negatively associated with body mass index awareness (aOR: 0.993, 95% CI: 0.984, 1.001). Adults without formal education were less likely to know their body mass index than those with tertiary‐level education (aOR: 0.279, 95% CI: 0.170, 0.457). Adults were less likely to be aware of their body mass index if they engaged in smoking (aOR: 0.779, 95% CI: 0.594, 1.023). Adults with knowledge of the definition of calories were more aware of their body mass index than others (aOR: 2.224, 95% CI: 1.805, 2.742). The findings emphasise the urgent need for a forthcoming sociodemographic factors‐specific policy directed towards improving body mass index awareness to lower the prevalence of obesity in Malaysia.
... Previous studies [34][35][36] reported that young women are more dissatisfied with their bodies given the possible changes in society regarding the definition of an ideal weight. Moreover, people who have greater body dissatisfaction pay more attention to body exposure, do more physical exercise 37 , as well as make greater use of weight control substances and supplements 38 , and go on a diet more often 39 to try to ease discomfort with their body. ...
The objectives of the study were to develop a Portuguese version of Attention to Body Shape Scale (ABS), estimate the psychometric properties of the ABS for Brazilian data, and compare the ABS scores between the sexes and the different sample characteristics. The Portuguese version was developed following a standardized protocol. The factorial and convergent validity were evaluated using goodness-of-fit parameters and average variance extracted. Composite reliability and ordinal coefficient alpha were calculated. The invariance of the fitted model was investigated across independent subsamples using multigroup analysis. The scores were compared between variables using two-way ANOVA. A total of 1,056 individuals (71% female) with a mean age of 26.1 (SD=6.4) years participated in the study. Item 3 was removed due to low factor loading. The refined model presented good psychometric properties for the data. Different characteristics contributed to greater attention to body shape. The Portuguese version of the ABS will be useful to investigate attention to body shape in Brazil. The validity and reliability of the data supported the adequacy of the refined model. Specific characteristics influenced attention to body shape, and therefore, should be considered in future protocols.
... A medium effect was found in health evaluation and health orientation and only a small effect has been found in appearance evaluation which means that sport activity seems to impact feeling healthy and investing more in physically healthy lifestyle more than feeling physically attractive. Similar results were shown in other research, for example Hausenblas et al. (2001) report that athletes had more positive body image compared to nonathletes or Sabiston et al. (2018) claim that negative body image is linked to lower physical activity so with greater physical activity is associated positive body image. Positive body image is very important for the mental and physical health (Griffiths et al., 2016) and it plays essential role in the quality of life in college students (Baceviciene et al., 2020). ...
Background: The problem of the ideal body is very current and one of the ways to reach the ideal body is sporting. Objective: The aim is to compare athletes, recreational athletes and nonathletes aged 18-30 years old in satisfaction with their own bodies, appearance, health, and fitness. Methods: The research group consisted of 408 young adults aged 18 to 30, 117 males and 291 females. Athletes were 115, recreational athletes were in count 145 and nonathletes were in count 148. The MBSRQ was examined to identify health, appearance , and fitness. Nine silhouettes from the Thompson and Gray CDR were examined to identify satisfaction with the body. Results: We found out that athletes are significantly more satisfied with their own bodies and they feel more attractive and healthier compared to nonathletes. Female athletes were less sa-ficant difference in the ideal body assessment between athletes and nonathletes. Conclusion: Sport activity is needful for young adults because it can increase body satisfaction assessment and raise feelings about their health and physical attraction.
The aim of this study was to test the moderating role of sport participation in the mediation model of media pressures, internalisation of appearance ideals and body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys. Five hundred and seventy adolescent boys (mean age 17.2 ± 0.45; range 15–19 years) participated in the cross-sectional study. Adolescents completed a questionnaire consisting of measures of attitudes towards sociocultural pressures on appearance, body dissatisfaction and sport participation (participation in achievement sport, leisure exercising and non-participation in any sports). Sports participation moderated the associations between the internalisation of stereotyped appearance ideals and body dissatisfaction. In athletes, the effect of internalisation of thin body ideals on body dissatisfaction was not significant, while the effect of internalisation of muscular/athletic body ideals was negative. In leisure exercisers, the effect of internalisation of muscular body ideals on body dissatisfaction was not significant, yet internalisation of thin body ideals had a significant effect on body dissatisfaction. The strongest associations between appearance ideals internalisation and body dissatisfaction were found in adolescent boys who reported no participation in sports. Sports participation might be an effective tool in decreasing the negative effect of internalisation of stereotyped appearance ideals on adolescent boys’ body image.
This chapter takes a biopsychosocial approach and uses the Tripartite Influence Model to explore how body image influences adolescents. Instead of focusing on solely one factor that might exacerbate body image concerns for the adolescent population, the chapter investigates various sources and mechanisms throughout an adolescent's development from which body image disturbance may originate, ranging from pubertal factors to the media. It also offers a comparison of body ideals and body image concerns across cultures, further showcasing the way body image is constructed. Research does suggest that body image can be improved. Thus, a range of interventions to promote positive body image are discussed, relying on methods from cognitive-dissonance to Dance and Movement Therapy.
Objective:
This systematic review explored the effectiveness of using physical activity (PA) interventions to enhance psychological well-being and reduce psychological ill-being (e.g., anxiety, depression) in children aged six to 11 years old from the general population.
Methods:
Electronic databases were searched for studies published between January 2005 and June 2020: Web of Science, ProQuest Psychology Journals, PsycINFO, Pub Med, ASSIA, CINHAL PLUS, SPORTDiscus, EMBASE and Wiley Online Library. Search terms included "physical activity intervention", "psychological well-being", and "child*". After removing duplicates, 11,390 studies were independently screened by two authors based on inclusion/exclusion criteria and assessed for risk of bias.
Results:
A total of 23 studies were narratively synthesised and categorised into four domains: Quality of Life (QOL), body image, self-esteem, and psychological ill-being. Evidence was provided for the impact of PA interventions in improving QOL, body image and self-esteem. Despite the positive effect on psychological well-being, evidence for a reduction in the frequency and severity of symptoms associated with psychological ill-being in children is less clear.
Conclusions:
Reviewed studies support the use of PA interventions in enhancing the psychological well-being of children in school and community settings. More research is warranted to understand the impact of PA interventions on reducing psychological ill-being in children from the general population.
Objective:
Explore the association between varsity athletes' fitness perceptions and symptoms of depression while sidelined from sport for an extended period, and test whether fitness-related self-conscious emotions (i.e., shame, guilt, authentic pride, and hubristic pride) mediate this relationship.
Participants:
Varsity athletes (N = 124) from a large university in Canada where sports had been restricted for the past year due to the pandemic.
Method:
Participants completed a cross-sectional self-report survey. Regression analyses testing mediation (i.e., direct and indirect effects) were used to explore the main research aim.
Results:
Controlling for age and gender, separate models demonstrated significant indirect effects of fitness perceptions on depression symptoms through shame, guilt, and authentic pride, but not through hubristic pride.
Conclusion:
Self-conscious emotions may be used as a tool to mitigate depression symptoms when varsity athletes are sidelined from sport for an extended period. Further research is needed to understand how self-conscious emotions develop when athletes are injured or retired.
The aim of the present study was to test associations between self-objectification and health-related lifestyle habits in a large sample of adolescents. In 2019–2020, a large sample of adolescents (n = 1402, 40.4% boys) participated in the survey and, as a part of a larger study, filled in questionnaires on self-objectification and lifestyle. Self-objectification was assessed using the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (SOQ). The lifestyle questionnaire had three batteries: eating attitudes and behaviors, dietary habits, and questions on harmful behaviors together with time spending patterns: sedentary lifestyle and physical activity. The ages ranged from 15–19 years with a mean age of 16.97 ± 0.46 years. Self-objectification (SO) was associated with a less healthy lifestyle: more frequent dieting and unhealthy eating habits in girls, skipping breakfast, and a lower number of meals per day. Adolescent boys and girls with higher SO demonstrated more frequent smoking and alcohol consumption until they felt dizzy and more frequent consumption of soft drinks, energy drinks, and fast foods. Girls with higher SO demonstrated lower perceived physical activity and longer duration of internet browsing for non-educational purposes. The results of the present study inform healthy lifestyle promotion programs for adolescents, suggesting that including psychoeducation about self-objectification, body functionality, and positive embodiment might be an effective strategy.
Objective:
Body dissatisfaction elevates the risk for disordered eating behaviors. Excessive exercise is prevalent among college women and associated with harm. Risk theory posits a bidirectional relationship between risk factors for disordered eating behaviors and the behaviors themselves. This study investigated the longitudinal, reciprocal relationship between body dissatisfaction and excessive exercise.
Participants and methods:
College women (n = 302) assessed in August (baseline) and November (follow-up).
Results:
Baseline body dissatisfaction significantly predicted increases in excessive exercise endorsement at follow-up, controlling for baseline excessive exercise endorsement and body mass index (BMI). Baseline excessive exercise endorsement predicted increases in body dissatisfaction at follow-up, controlling for baseline body dissatisfaction and BMI.
Conclusions:
Findings support the presence of a positive feedback loop between body dissatisfaction and excessive exercise; both predict increases in risk for the other, regardless of weight status. Future research should test whether this process is ongoing and predicts further distress.
Strategic competence is the ability to use communication strategies for oral interaction within the limits of linguistic competency. This paper looked into a communication strategy training that spanned over 13 sessions, with each session focusing on a different communication strategy. Data were collected through recordings of technical presentations and dialogues, later transcribed into 29,492 words. The analysis of the transcripts showed a reduction in the frequency of communication strategies used from 65.13 ptw to 51.43 ptw from the beginning to the end of the training. The findings of this study suggested that the communication strategy training had enabled the participants to maximise the use of their existing linguistic resources and develop their strategic competence independently. The reduction of the frequency of communication strategy represents the higher production of actual language use as shown in the increase of number of utterance from 2134 TWS to 2528 TWS.
Physical education (PE) has significant potential to shape how young people experience their own and others’ bodies. This potential has not always been realized in positive ways and some research suggests that experiences in PE have contributed to young people’s dissatisfaction with their appearances. The broad aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of body image as a pedagogical issue within PE. A narrative approach to the review is adopted that enables us to summarize, compare, explain and interpret various types of research relevant to our aim. From the databases ERIC, SCOPUS and PsycInfo, 25 articles were identified that deal with either body image in typical PE lessons or researcher-led attempts to influence students’ body image (what we have termed ‘pedagogic interventions’). Main findings are that: (1) PE has been presented as both part of the cause and a potential site of intervention to the problem of negative body image; (2) Researchers have based pedagogic interventions on four types of guiding principles; and (3) Researchers have made an array of recommendations for practitioners relating to gender, time, professional development and the characteristics of the pedagogical interventions. Findings are discussed in relation to broader research on body image in society and in PE with a focus on how the findings might inform further scientific practice.
It is recognised that physical activity improves nutritional status and body image perception and reduces the risk of disease and body dissatisfaction (1-2). Although the relationship between physical activity and body composition and body image perception have been extensively investigated in adults, few studies on the effects of specific sporting activities on children or adolescents have so far been reported and those that have been carried out have reported contradictory results (1). Our study had two aims. Firstly we wanted to gain a better understanding of the body composition and body image perception of 60 pre-adolescent boys by carrying out an evaluation of their anthropometric characteristics and body image perception before and after a 12-week soccer (football) training programme. Secondly we were keen to analyse any possible differences between age groups by looking at 24 boys of nine years of age and 36 boys of 10 years of age. All the children who attended two soccer schools for four hours per week volunteered to participate in the study. They were all born in the province of Ferrara in Northern Italy. Written, informed consent was obtained from their parents and the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ferrara University. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This commentary on David Marks’ article on the Homeostatic Theory of Obesity and his Circle of Discontent mechanism for maintaining problematic eating behavior and obesity offers a perspective on the promise and potential of this theory. At the same time, we challenge the author to incorporate more of a process perspective into the theory. This would include greater exploration of how individuals enter and exit this hypothesized Circle of Discontent, how these mechanisms lead to obesity rather than other internalizing or externalizing disorders, and how the interactions among key variables differ for males and females and developmental stages.
Background
Engaging in regular physical activity (PA) is critical for health, and adopting a consistent PA routine early in life is associated with greater PA over the lifespan. College women with weight concerns are at risk for weight gain, which may be prevented with regular PA. However, little is known about changes in PA engagement in this at-risk group.
Purpose
Using an outcome expectancy framework, this study used a prospective longitudinal design to examine changes in PA during the first 2 years of college. We tested for concurrent and prospective within-person relations between body satisfaction/perceived eating behavior and PA to determine when weight-concerned college women may increase or decrease PA.
Methods
Women who reported weight concerns at the start of college (n = 294) completed five assessments over 2 years, including measured weight, body/eating experiences, and 4 days of pedometer steps (per assessment). Multilevel models addressed the resulting nested data structure (days within assessments within participants).
Results
Over 2 years, within-person change accounted for 65 % of PA variability (ICC = 0.35). PA was greatest at (and subsequent to) times when body satisfaction was lower, and when disinhibited eating and hedonic hunger were higher, than an individual’s average (ps < 0.05). These changes were associated with 1–3 % of the recommended daily step totals.
Conclusions
Weight-conscious college women show greater PA after negative eating and weight experiences. As these experiences change over time, health promotion efforts should help college women identify alternative, positive motivators for PA, which could facilitate consistent PA engagement.
Objective
Numerous stand-alone interventions to improve body image have been developed. The present review used meta-analysis to estimate the effectiveness of such interventions, and to identify the specific change techniques that lead to improvement in body image.
Methods
The inclusion criteria were that (a) the intervention was stand-alone (i.e., solely focused on improving body image), (b) a control group was used, (c) participants were randomly assigned to conditions, and (d) at least one pretest and one posttest measure of body image was taken. Effect sizes were meta-analysed and moderator analyses were conducted. A taxonomy of 48 change techniques used in interventions targeted at body image was developed; all interventions were coded using this taxonomy.
Results
The literature search identified 62 tests of interventions (N = 3,846). Interventions produced a small-to-medium improvement in body image (d+ = 0.38), a small-to-medium reduction in beauty ideal internalisation (d+ = -0.37), and a large reduction in social comparison tendencies (d+ = -0.72). However, the effect size for body image was inflated by bias both within and across studies, and was reliable but of small magnitude once corrections for bias were applied. Effect sizes for the other outcomes were no longer reliable once corrections for bias were applied. Several features of the sample, intervention, and methodology moderated intervention effects. Twelve change techniques were associated with improvements in body image, and three techniques were contra-indicated.
Conclusions
The findings show that interventions engender only small improvements in body image, and underline the need for large-scale, high-quality trials in this area. The review identifies effective techniques that could be deployed in future interventions.
Objective:
To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis for the effects of physical activity intervention on self-esteem and self-concept in children and adolescents, and to identify moderator variables by meta-regression.
Design:
A meta-analysis and meta-regression.
Method:
Relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search of electronic databases. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) intervention should be supervised physical activity, (2) reported sufficient data to estimate pooled effect sizes of physical activity intervention on self-esteem or self-concept, (3) participants' ages ranged from 3 to 20 years, and (4) a control or comparison group was included. For each study, study design, intervention design and participant characteristics were extracted. R software (version 3.1.3) and Stata (version 12.0) were used to synthesize effect sizes and perform moderation analyses for determining moderators.
Results:
Twenty-five randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies and 13 non-randomized controlled trial (non-RCT) studies including a total of 2991 cases were identified. Significant positive effects were found in RCTs for intervention of physical activity alone on general self outcomes (Hedges' g = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14 to 0.45; p = 0.001), self-concept (Hedges' g = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.10 to 0.88, p = 0.014) and self-worth (Hedges' g = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.49, p = 0.005). There was no significant effect of intervention of physical activity alone on any outcomes in non-RCTs, as well as in studies with intervention of physical activity combined with other strategies. Meta-regression analysis revealed that higher treatment effects were associated with setting of intervention in RCTs (β = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.07 to 0.55, p = 0.013).
Conclusion:
Intervention of physical activity alone is associated with increased self-concept and self-worth in children and adolescents. And there is a stronger association with school-based and gymnasium-based intervention compared with other settings.
Health is regulated by homeostasis, a property of all living things. Homeostasis maintains equilibrium at set-points using feedback loops for optimum functioning of the organism. Imbalances in homeostasis causing overweight and obesity are evident in more than 1 billion people. In a new theory, homeostatic obesity imbalance is attributed to a hypothesized ‘Circle of Discontent’, a system of feedback loops linking weight gain, body dissatisfaction, negative affect and over-consumption. The Circle of Discontent theory is consistent with an extensive evidence base. A four-armed strategy to halt the obesity epidemic consists of (1) putting a stop to victim-blaming, stigma and discrimination; (2) devalorizing the thin-ideal; (3) reducing consumption of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods and drinks; and (4) improving access to plant-based diets. If fully implemented, interventions designed to restore homeostasis have the potential to halt the obesity epidemic.
The relationship between social physique anxiety (SPA) and physical activity has been inconsistent, with studies showing positive, negative, and no relationship between them. The present study investigated whether self-presentational efficacy moderated the relationship between SPA and physical activity behaviour in university students, as it does in other samples. University students (208 women and 125 men) completed measures of SPE, trait SPA, and moderate-vigorous physical activity. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis showed no evidence of moderation. For women, both self-presentational efficacy expectancy (SPEE) and self-presentational outcome value positively predicted moderate-vigorous physical activity, with efficacy expectancy accounting for greater variance. For men, only SPEE was a significant predictor. It may be effective to increase SPEE in university students to encourage greater physical activity.
The effects of a 5-month intervention of football instruction and practice on the perceived psychological status and body composition of overweight boys were examined. Twelve boys (8-12 years; body mass index ≥ 85th percentile) participated in a structured 5-month football program, consisting of four weekly 60-90 min sessions with mean heart rate > 80%HRmax [football group (FG)]. A control group (CG) included eight boys of equivalent age from an obesity clinic located in the same area as the school. Both groups participated in two sessions of 45-90-min physical education per week at school. Indicators of perceived psychological status included body image, self-esteem, attraction to participation in physical activity, and perceived physical competence measured with standardized questionnaires. Body composition was evaluated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. From baseline through 5 months, FG improved (P < 0.05) in all indicators of psychological status (%Δ = +11.7 to +29.2%) compared with CG (%Δ = -32.1 to +0.5%). Changes in percentage body fat and lean body mass, however, did not differ between FG and CG. The findings suggest that a 5-month football intervention program was effective in improving the psychological status of overweight boys but did not significantly alter body composition.
These three studies sought to better understand experiences of body-related envy and to examine the association with motivation and exercise behavior in young adult males and females. In an interview study, participants (N = 11) discussed body-related envy within a framework of social comparison. In Study 2, a thematic content analysis was conducted on self-reported narratives of body-related envy experiences reported by 288 participants. Themes of body-related envy triggers, cognitions, and cognitive and behavioral outcomes were identified. Findings from Studies 1 and 2 highlighted the possible link between body-related envy and exercise motivation and behavior. Study 3 tested these associations with males and females (N = 595) who completed a self-report questionnaire. In the structural equation model, body-related envy was positively associated with external, introjected, and identified regulations, and identified regulation was positively associated with exercise behavior. Taken together, the importance of body-related envy in the experience of cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes related to sport and exercise contexts is highlighted.
This article analyses negative experiences in physical education and sport reported during qualitative interviews of a group of inactive adolescent Spanish boys and girls. The purpose of this analysis is twofold. First and most important, it seeks to give voice to these young people reporting negative experiences and connect them to contexts of physical activity and sport in which they occurred in order to show how, ironically, inactivity is an unintended consequence. Second, the authors attempt to connect inactivity through negative experiences by drawing on conceptual notions of a gendered performativity culture, and symbolic violence. The authors conclude by commenting on how these insights may be useful to critically reflect on physical activity programs, which are too often considered an unquestionable good for all pupils who experience them.
This article offers objectification theory as a framework for understanding the experiential consequences of being female in a culture that sexually objectifies the female body. Objectification theory posits that girls and women are typically acculturated to internalize an observer's perspective as a primary view of their physical selves. This perspective on self can lead to habitual body monitoring, which, in turn, can increase women's opportunities for shame and anxiety, reduce opportunities for peak motivational states, and diminish awareness of internal bodily states. Accumulations of such experiences may help account for an array of mental health risks that disproportionately affect women: unipolar depression, sexual dysfunction, and eating disorders. Objectification theory also illuminates why changes in these mental health risks appear to occur in step with life-course changes in the female body.
The aim was to better understand the role of motives in exercise participation. It was hypothesised that motives influence exercise participation by influencing behavioural regulation, and that motives are themselves influenced by personality traits. Data were from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 252 office workers, mean age 40 years. Analysis was by structural equation modelling. According to the final model, appearance/weight motive increased external regulation, thereby reducing participation, and also increased introjected regulation. Health/fitness motive increased identified regulation, thereby increasing participation. Social engagement motive increased intrinsic regulation. Neuroticism increased appearance/weight motive, openness increased health/fitness motive, and conscientiousness, without affecting motives, reduced external and introjected regulation. It is inferred that exercise promotion programmes, without denigrating appearance/weight motive, should encourage other motives more conducive to autonomous motivation. †A presentation based on this data set was made at the Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Galway, September, 2005.
This review applied meta-analytic procedures to integrate research findings examining the impact of exercise on body image. We performed extensive literature searching strategies and located 121 published and unpublished studies that examined the impact of exercise on body image. Primary study results were coded, and meta-analytic procedures were conducted. Studies were grouped into intervention (i.e., exercise vs nonexercise group post-exercise intervention body-image scores), single group (i.e., pre vs post exercise intervention body-image scores), and correlational (i.e., exercisers vs nonexercisers body-image scores) effect sizes. Small effect sizes (that were weighted by sample size), that were significantly different from zero, indicated that: (a) exercisers had a more positive body image than nonexercisers; (b) exercise intervention participants reported a more positive body image post intervention compared to the nonexercising control participants; and (c) exercisers had a significant improvement in body image scores following an exercise intervention. We concluded that exercise was associated with improved body image. Moderating variables and implications for exercise prescription to improve body image were discussed.
Intuitive eating (i.e., eating based on physiological hunger and satiety cues rather than situational and emotional cues) recently has gained recognition as an adaptive eating style. The present study explored a model of intuitive eating based on a foundation of acceptance with 2 samples of college women. Path analysis with the 1st sample (N = 181) revealed that the acceptance model provided an excellent fit to the data, and latent variable structural equation modeling with the 2nd sample (N = 416) cross-validated this model. Specifically, general unconditional acceptance predicted body acceptance by others, body acceptance by others predicted an emphasis on body function over appearance, body acceptance by others and an emphasis on body function predicted body appreciation, and an emphasis on body function and body appreciation predicted intuitive eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
On the basis of self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), the authors examined whether 2 different types of introjected motivation—an avoidant type aimed at avoiding low self-worth and an approach type aimed at attaining high self-worth—are both associated with a less positive pattern of correlates relative to identified motivation—acting because one identifies with the value of the action. Two studies focusing on the academic and sports domains (N = 1,222) showed that children and adolescents differentiated between the 2 types of introjected motivation. Although introjected avoidance motivation was associated with a more negative pattern of affective and performance correlates than was introjected approach motivation, identified motivation was associated with a much more positive pattern of correlates than both types of introjected motivation. Furthermore, being high on introjected approach motivation did not yield any benefits even when combined with high identified motivation. Results suggest that past findings portraying introjected motivation as being less desirable than identified motivation cannot be ascribed to the avoidance component of introjected motivation. Findings are consistent with the view that even an approach-oriented introjected motivation has very limited benefits when compared with identified motivation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Due to the equivocal research examining body image between athletes and nonathletes and the serious negative effects of body image disturbance a meta-analytic review of the literature was undertaken (N = 78 studies, 294 effect sizes). A small effect was found which indicated that athletes had a more positive body image compared to the nonathletes. Examination of the moderator variables revealed that the magnitude of the effect size: (a) for unpublished research was larger compared to published research; (b) for comparison groups which were included within the study was smaller than for comparison groups based on normative data; (c) did not differ between the female athletes compared to the male athletes; (d) did not vary among the aesthetic, endurance, and ball game sport athletes; and (e) did not differ by age or body mass index. Possible explanations for the more positive body image of the athletes than the nonathletes are discussed.
Concerns about body shape are common among young women in Western cultures, and, in an extreme form, they constitute a central feature of the eating disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. To date there has been no satisfactory measure of such concerns. A self-report instrument, the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) has therefore been developed. The items that constitute this measure were derived by conducting semistructured interviews with various groups of women including patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The BSQ has been administered to three samples of young women in the community as well as to a group of patients with bulimia nervosa. The concurrent and discriminant validity of the measure have been shown to be good. The BSQ provides a means of investigating the role of concerns about body shape in the development, maintenance, and treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the emotion narratives in older women's ageing body and physical activity-related stories. Method The study was informed by narrative inquiry. We conducted two semi-structured interviews with 21 women aged 65 to 94 and asked them about their physical activity engagement, and body perceptions, experiences, and management strategies. Using thematic narrative analysis, we analysed the content of participants’ stories pertaining to physical activity, the core patterns within them, and considered the cultural context in which they were embedded. Results Emotion narratives of anxiety/fear, shame, guilt, pride, and pleasure permeated the women's stories. Participants feared physical and cognitive decline, and engaged in physical activity to stave off the ageing process. Body-related shame and guilt transected their stories; they were frustrated by their inabilities to engage in certain activities and with their move away from the healthy and physically fit cultural ideal. To negotiate this body-related anxiety/fear, shame, and guilt, the women drew attention to their accomplishments in the physical domain with pride, reinforcing their efforts to take personal responsibility for their health. Participants were also physically active for pleasure, gaining satisfaction from the social connections and mindfulness derived from being active, and through their participation in challenging yet rewarding activities. Conclusions The findings are novel as they highlight the importance of cultural age and body norms coupled with complex emotional experiences in shaping later life physical activity experiences, and draw attention to the usefulness of stories to explore emotions in the physical domain.
Three meta-analytic reviews have concluded that physical activity is positively related to body image. Historically, research regarding physical activity and body image has been disproportionately focused on female samples. For example, the most recent meta-analysis (2009) extracted 56 effect sizes for women and only 12 for men. The current paper provides an update to the literature regarding the relationship between physical activity and body image among men and boys across 84 individual effect sizes. The analysis also provides insight regarding moderator variables including participant age, and physical activity type and intensity. Overall, physical activity was positively related to body image among men and boys with various moderator variables warranting further investigation. Pragmatic implications are discussed as well as the limitations within existing research and need for additional research to further understand moderator and mediator variables.
Appearance comparisons are an important sociocultural factor influencing women’s body image. These comparisons can occur in different contexts (e.g., through magazines, social media, in person). However, little is known about the frequency and outcome of appearance comparisons made in different contexts in women’s everyday lives. Using Ecological Momentary Assessment methods, female undergraduate students (n = 146) completed a brief online survey at random times every day for 5 days. They reported the frequency, direction (upward, lateral, downward), and context of appearance comparisons, and also reported their appearance satisfaction, mood, and diet and exercise thoughts and behaviors. Upward appearance comparisons were the most common across all contexts. Upward comparisons through social media were associated with more negative outcomes on all measures (except diet and exercise behavior) than comparisons made in person, and with more negative mood than comparisons in any other context. These findings highlight the importance of the appearance comparison context.
Although improvements in body image have been shown for longer-lasting resistance training, research on its short-term effects is currently lacking. The present study set out to test a hypothesized beneficial effect of a single bout of resistance training on global and specific (i.e., body fat- and muscularity-related) body image states of male exercisers. Additionally, a moderating effect of drive for muscularity was explored. In a controlled crossover study, 42 experienced weight trainers received (a) a session of resistance training; (b) a session of aerobic exercise (cycling); and (c) a session of magazine reading. Body image states were assessed before and immediately after each condition, and after 24 hr. As hypothesized, resistance training, but not cycling or reading, led to a significant increase in perceived muscularity on a silhouette measure of body image states (g = 0.31 or 3 kg). Both exercise conditions led to a significant decrease in perceived body fat (g = −0.33 or −2.5% for resistance training), but for resistance training, this only held true for men lower in drive for muscularity (g = .58, p