IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v11y2014i11p11167-11176d41657.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is Being a Boy and Feeling Fat a Barrier for Physical Activity? The Association between Body Image, Gender and Physical Activity among Adolescents

Author

Listed:
  • Jaroslava Kopcakova

    (Department of Health Psychology, Institute of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Safarik University, Tr. SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Center for Kinanthropology Research, Institute of Active Lifestyle, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University in Olomouc, Tr. Miru 115, Olomouc 77111, Czech Republic)

  • Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska

    (Department of Health Psychology, Institute of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Safarik University, Tr. SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia)

  • Andrea Madarasova Geckova

    (Department of Health Psychology, Institute of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Safarik University, Tr. SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Olomouc University Social Health Institute (OUSHI), Palacky University in Olomouc, Tr. Miru 115, Olomouc 77111, Czech Republic)

  • Jitse P. Van Dijk

    (Olomouc University Social Health Institute (OUSHI), Palacky University in Olomouc, Tr. Miru 115, Olomouc 77111, Czech Republic
    Department of Community & Occupational Health, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands)

  • Sijmen A. Reijneveld

    (Department of Community & Occupational Health, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Regular physical activity leads to physical and mental health benefits. Previous studies have shown physical activity to be associated with body image and gender. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the associations of body image with physical activity of adolescents and whether gender modifies this association. We obtained data on body image and physical activity as part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study in 2010 from Slovakia ( n = 8042, age 11–15 years, 49% boys, response rate: 79.5%). Adolescents answered questions about their body image and the frequency of their physical activity. Sufficient physical activity was more likely in adolescents perceiving themselves as fat (OR = 0.63, 95%CI 0.54–0.73) and in boys (OR = 2.15, 95%CI 1.92–2.42). A poor body image among girls was not associated with physical activity, whereas among boys it was associated with less physical activity. Gender seems to moderate the relationship between body image and physical activity in youths. Health promotion should be targeted in particular at boys with a negative body image, as they are at higher risk of physical inactivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaroslava Kopcakova & Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Jitse P. Van Dijk & Sijmen A. Reijneveld, 2014. "Is Being a Boy and Feeling Fat a Barrier for Physical Activity? The Association between Body Image, Gender and Physical Activity among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-10, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:11:p:11167-11176:d:41657
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/11/11167/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/11/11167/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zuzana Veselska & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Sijmen Reijneveld & Jitse Dijk, 2011. "Aspects of self differ among physically active and inactive youths," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 56(3), pages 311-318, June.
    2. Ronald Iannotti & Ian Janssen & Ellen Haug & Hanna Kololo & Beatrice Annaheim & Alberto Borraccino, 2009. "Interrelationships of adolescent physical activity, screen-based sedentary behaviour, and social and psychological health," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(2), pages 191-198, September.
    3. Ellen Haug & Mette Rasmussen & Oddrun Samdal & Ron Iannotti & Colette Kelly & Alberto Borraccino & Carine Vereecken & Ole Melkevik & Giacomo Lazzeri & Mariano Giacchi & Oya Ercan & Pernille Due & Ulri, 2009. "Overweight in school-aged children and its relationship with demographic and lifestyle factors: results from the WHO-Collaborative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(2), pages 167-179, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jaroslava Kopcakova & Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Michal Kalman & Jitse P. Van Dijk & Sijmen A. Reijneveld, 2015. "Do Motives to Undertake Physical Activity Relate to Physical Activity in Adolescent Boys and Girls?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-11, July.
    2. Eliška Štefanová & Peter Bakalár & Tibor Baška, 2020. "Eating-Disordered Behavior in Adolescents: Associations with Body Image, Body Composition and Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-9, September.
    3. María Rivera-Ochoa & Marta Arroyo-Bello & Asier Mañas & Carlos Quesada-González & Barbara Vizmanos-Lamotte & Marcela González-Gross & Amelia Guadalupe-Grau, 2021. "Body Dissatisfaction and Its Association with Health-Related Factors in Rural and Urban Mexican Adolescents from the State of Jalisco," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-10, November.
    4. Carolina G. Coelho & Luana Giatti & Maria D. C. B. Molina & Maria A. A. Nunes & Sandhi M. Barreto, 2015. "Body Image and Nutritional Status Are Associated with Physical Activity in Men and Women: The ELSA-Brasil Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-18, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jaroslava Kopcakova & Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Michal Kalman & Jitse P. Van Dijk & Sijmen A. Reijneveld, 2015. "Do Motives to Undertake Physical Activity Relate to Physical Activity in Adolescent Boys and Girls?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-11, July.
    2. Zuzana Veselska & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Sijmen Reijneveld & Jitse Dijk, 2011. "Aspects of self differ among physically active and inactive youths," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 56(3), pages 311-318, June.
    3. Meng Wang & Jie-Ming Zhong & Hao Wang & Ming Zhao & Wei-Wei Gong & Jin Pan & Fang-Rong Fei & Hai-Bin Wu & Min Yu, 2016. "Breakfast Consumption and Its Associations with Health-Related Behaviors among School-Aged Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study in Zhejiang Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-13, July.
    4. HangUk Cheon, 2021. "The Structural Relationship between Exercise Frequency, Social Health, and Happiness in Adolescents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-14, January.
    5. Alexandra Nonnenmacher & Jürgen Friedrichs, 2013. "The Missing Link: Deficits of Country-Level Studies. A Review of 22 Articles Explaining Life Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 1221-1244, February.
    6. Gabriella Nagy-Pénzes & Ferenc Vincze & Éva Bíró, 2020. "Contributing Factors in Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being—The Role of Socioeconomic Status, Social Support, and Health Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Cho, Sun Mi & Park, Chan-ung & Song, Min, 2020. "The evolution of social health research topics: A data-driven analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    8. Dai Sugimoto & Andrea Stracciolini & Laura Berbert & Eric Nohelty & Greggory P. Kobelski & Becky Parmeter & Edie Weller & Avery D. Faigenbaum & Gregory D. Myer, 2023. "Assessment of Physical Tests in 6–11 Years Old Children: Findings from the Play Lifestyle and Activity in Youth (PLAY) Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, January.
    9. Yu-Chen Lin, 2011. "Assessing the Use of the Family Affluence Scale as Socioeconomic Indicators for Researching Health Inequalities in Taiwan Adolescents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 102(3), pages 463-475, July.
    10. Gabriela Palos-Lucio & Mario Flores & Marta Rivera-Pasquel & V. Salgado-de-Snyder & Eric Monterrubio & Santiago Henao & Nayeli Macias, 2015. "Association between migration and physical activity of school-age children left behind in rural Mexico," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(1), pages 49-58, January.
    11. Supa Pengpid & Karl Peltzer, 2015. "Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Six Pacific Island Countries in Oceania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-14, November.
    12. Meyran Boniel-Nissim & Izabela Tabak & Joanna Mazur & Alberto Borraccino & Fiona Brooks & Rob Gommans & Winfried Sluijs & Emese Zsiros & Wendy Craig & Yossi Harel-Fisch & Emily Finne, 2015. "Supportive communication with parents moderates the negative effects of electronic media use on life satisfaction during adolescence," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(2), pages 189-198, February.
    13. Aristides Machado-Rodrigues & Neiva Leite & Manuel Coelho-e-Silva & Fernando Enes & Rômulo Fernandes & Luís Mascarenhas & Margaret Boguszewski & Robert Malina, 2015. "Metabolic risk and television time in adolescent females," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(2), pages 157-165, February.
    14. Bimala Sharma & Rosemary Cosme Chavez & Ae Suk Jeong & Eun Woo Nam, 2017. "Television Viewing and Its Association with Sedentary Behaviors, Self-Rated Health and Academic Performance among Secondary School Students in Peru," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-12, April.
    15. Annette Quinto Romani, 2014. "Parental Socioeconomic Background and Child Behaviour," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 295-306, March.
    16. Zhenti Cui & Ping Zou & Zihan Lin & Yingdong Cao & Yan Luo, 2022. "Gender Differences in Excessive Screen Time among Chinese High School Students in Henan Province," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    17. Huixuan Zhou & Xiaotong Dai & Litian Lou & Chan Zhou & Wei Zhang, 2021. "Association of Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity with Depression in Sport University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-11, September.
    18. Karl Peltzer & Supa Pengpid, 2016. "Leisure Time Physical Inactivity and Sedentary Behaviour and Lifestyle Correlates among Students Aged 13–15 in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States, 2007–2013," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, February.
    19. Rob Gommans & Gonneke Stevens & Emily Finne & Antonius Cillessen & Meyran Boniel-Nissim & Tom Bogt, 2015. "Frequent electronic media communication with friends is associated with higher adolescent substance use," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(2), pages 167-177, February.
    20. Garden Tabacchi & Avery Faigenbaum & Monèm Jemni & Ewan Thomas & Laura Capranica & Antonio Palma & Joao Breda & Antonino Bianco, 2018. "Profiles of Physical Fitness Risk Behaviours in School Adolescents from the ASSO Project: A Latent Class Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:11:p:11167-11176:d:41657. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.