Abstract
Objectives. This empirical study investigated the effect of a moderate aerobic exercise programme on the body self-image of a sample of women (n=49) in middle adulthood with a mean age of 54.2 years. Methods. The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=24) and a control group (n=25). The experimental group participated in a (guided) moderate aerobics programme over six weeks, while the control group participated in a sedentary (guided) meditation programme. The participants in both groups were assessed for body self-image using the nine factors defined in the Body Self-Image Questionnaire (BSIQ) of Rowe (2000). The BSIQ comprises both perceptual-cognitive and affective-attitudinal factors. Results. The results indicated that there was an overall positive shift in the perceptual-cognitive factors of the body self-image in the exercise group, namely for overall appearance evaluation, health fitness evaluation and fatness evaluation. Although no significant shifts were found in all the affective-attitudinal factors of the participants, there was a significant change in the negative affect of the participants. Conclusion. The results suggest that such a programme has a positive influence on the way these women think and feel about their bodies. No significant changes were found in the body selfimage of the control group. These findings suggest the positive effect of a (guided) aerobic exercise programme in improving the body self-image of women in middle adulthood.SAJSM, vol 23 No. 4 2011
Highlights
Body self-image is a psychological construct which has gained increasing attention in current years, and researchers[1,2] reported that active groups have a better concept of their bodies and body image than sedentary groups
The primary questions posited in this research study were: what happens to the body self-image when women exercise, in terms of the cognitive, perceptual, affective and attitudinal aspects of their body self-image
A programme of moderate aerobics was applied to the experimental group (n=24), while a programme of sedentary guided meditation was applied to a control group (n=25) on a sample of 49 (n=49) women in the phase of middle adulthood
Summary
Body self-image is a psychological construct which has gained increasing attention in current years, and researchers[1,2] reported that active groups have a better concept of their bodies and body image than sedentary groups. In line with other review articles, McAuley[5] reported a positive relationship between exercise and self-esteem, self-efficacy, psychological well-being, and cognitive functioning, and a negative relationship between exercise and anxiety, stress, and depression. Such studies reinforce the notion that exercise has significant psychological health benefits for people who exercise regularly. The psychological benefits of exercise extend to positive changes in body self-image for women that occurred following exercise interventions.[1,6,7] Such changes can be due to physiological processes in which exercise increases concentrations of the brain’s neurotransmitters by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system.[8] Further research has shown that exercise is one of the most effective means of improving body self-image.[9,10]
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