Understanding the Impact of Exercise Images on Psychosocial Predictors of Physical Activity among Women

Leah M. Schumacher

doi:10.17918/y3df-dg13

Visual images of individuals engaged in physical activity (PA; "PA images") are widely used in public health campaigns and other media, yet little is known about how different aspects of these images, such as the weight status of the person depicted exercising, affect variables associated with PA (e.g., motivation, liking, self-efficacy, intention) and weight-related attitudes among viewers. This study examined the effect of viewing an online PA promotion brochure featuring PA images of women with overweight/obesity (OW/O images) versus without overweight/obesity (lean images) on variables previously associated with PA and anti-fat attitudes. The moderating effect of viewer weight status (BMI < vs. [greater than or equal to] 25.0 kg/m2), weight loss desire, social comparison tendencies, internalized weight bias, and baseline anti-fat attitudes on outcomes was also examined. Following pilot testing, 561 women who reported performing <150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA/week were recruited online (Mage= 30.8 years; 80% White; 49% with a BMI < 25.0 kg/m2 and 51% with a BMI [greater than or equal to] 25.0 kg/m2). Participants completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics and potential moderators, were randomized (blocked by BMI < or [greater than or equal to] 25.0 kg/m2) to view a brochure containing ten lean or OW/O PA images for approximately 3.5 minutes, and then completed post-exposure measures of variables previously associated with PA, anti-fat attitudes, social comparisons with the images, mood, body image, and perceived image characteristics. Results revealed that the interaction between viewer weight status and PA image condition on variables previously associated with PA and on anti-fat attitudes was not significant. The main effect of image condition was also not significant for most outcomes. Viewer weight status, on the other hand, significantly predicted several outcomes: participants with a BMI [greater than or equal to]25.0 kg/m2 reported higher rates of interest in additional contact from the researchers, lower PA liking and self-efficacy, more negative mood and body image, and greater post-exposure anti-fat attitudes. Additionally, a greater tendency to respond positively to upward social comparisons (i.e., to those "better off") and greater endorsement of pre-exposure anti-fat attitudes generally predicted higher levels of variables previously associated with PA; internalized weight bias predicted lower PA liking and self-efficacy (although the strength of the negative relationship between internalized bias and self-efficacy was attenuated in the OW/O image condition); and weight loss desire predicted higher levels of some variables previously associated with PA, particularly among participants not desiring weight loss in the OW/O image condition. Taken together, findings suggest that, while brief exposure to OW/O PA images may not increase levels of variables previously associated with PA, viewing OW/O images also does not negatively impact these variables. Thus, greater use of OW/O images in PA-related media appears warranted. Person-level characteristics, especially one's own weight status, also appear to influence variables previously associated with PA. Additionally, while ostensibly positive OW/O PA images may be perceived more positively than lean PA images on some dimensions, viewers with overweight/obesity may report increased anti-fat attitudes after viewing any PA image.

Understanding the Impact of Exercise Images on Psychosocial Predictors of Physical Activity among Women

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Understanding the Impact of Exercise Images on Psychosocial Predictors of Physical Activity among Women

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Drexel University Social media