Positive effects of exercise on health and wellbeing of active individuals compared to sedentary

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The current study examined relationships among social physique anxiety, obligation to exercise, reasons for exercise, self-esteem, body-esteem and psychological health. Participants and methods: College students and members of the general public (N = 100; 50 women, 50 men) volunteered to complete questionnaires. Results: There was no significant difference (t(98) = -1.000, p = .320) between exercise and sedentary group in the scores on psychological health. Psychological health (r = .34), obligation to exercise (r = .40), self-esteem (r = .48), and social physique anxiety (r = -.55) were statistically significantly related (p < 0.01) to body esteem levels. Conclusions: Regular exercise does appear to affect body-esteem but not psychological health when compared with sedentary. The four predictor variables were statistically significantly related to body esteem levels.