An Investigation of the Relationship Between Body Composition, Social Physique Anxiety, and Exercise Motives: 2532 Board #55 June 3, 11: 00 AM - 12: 30 PM

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2016

Abstract

PURPOSE: Investigate the relationship between body composition, exercise motivations, social physique anxiety (SPA), exercise confidence, and exercise stage of change (SOC) among adults across the age span. METHODS: 192 participants (males = 89, females = 103) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Stages of Change for Exercise—Short Form, Social Physique Anxiety Scale, Exercise Confidence Survey, and Exercise Motivations Inventory-2, and body composition via DEXA. RESULTS: One-way ANOVA revealed that males were more motivated by social recognition (p = 0.003), affiliation (p = 0.029), and competition (p < 0.001); females were more motivated by weight management (p = 0.050) and appearance (p < 0.001). Males also had lower SPA (28.20 ± 9.71 vs. 35.25 ± 10.87) (p < 0.001), higher exercise confidence (24.91 ± 13.31 vs. 30.42 ± 17.32) (p = 0.016), and were more likely to be maintainers for SOC (p = 0.006). Age was correlated to weight management (r = 0.305, p < 0.001), ill-health avoidance (r = 0.271, p < 0.001), social recognition (r = -0.258, p < 0.001), health pressures (r = 0.219, p = 0.002), nimbleness (r = 0.204, p = 0.004), challenge (r = -0.232, p = 0.001), and appearance (r = 0.172, p = 0.017). %BF was correlated to weight management (r = 0.495, p < 0.001), enjoyment (r = -0.427, p < 0.001), competition (r = -0.374, p < 0.001), revitalization (r = -0.351, p < 0.001), social recognition (r = -0.303, p < 0.001), challenge (r = -0.280, p < 0.001), stress management (r = -0.274, p = 0.001), affiliation (r = -0.159, p = 0.027), and ill-health avoidance (r = 0.153, p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: While exercise motivations changed and %BF increased with age, overall males had different exercise motivations, lower SPA, lower %BF, higher exercise confidence, and were more likely to be maintainers than females, regardless of age.

Journal Title

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

Journal ISSN

1530-0315

Volume

48

Issue

5S

First Page

699

Last Page

699

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1249/01.mss.0000487101.64936.af

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