TY - JOUR
T1 - The Relationship between Weight Stigmatization, Avoidance, Enjoyment and Participation in Physical Activity and Sport, and Psychological Distress
AU - Bevan, Nadia
AU - O'Brien, Kerry S.
AU - Latner, Janet D.
AU - Vandenberg, Brian
AU - Jeanes, Ruth
AU - Lin, Chung Ying
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 PNG Publications. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Objectives: The psychosocial factors affecting physical activity (PA) and sport participation are not well understood but need to be to gain the psychological benefits of PA and sport. In this study, we sought to establish the relationship between weight stigmatization, the tendency to avoid, or participate in and/or enjoy PA and sport, and psychological distress. Methods: We collected demographic details and measures of the constructs of interest from 578 undergraduate students via an online survey. We ran bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression models to establish statistical relationships between the variables of interest. Results: In bivariate correlations, weight stigmatization and the tendency to avoid PA were significantly associated with greater psychological distress. Greater enjoyment of PA and sport was related with less psychological distress; however, participation in PA and sport was not associated with psychological distress. In multivariate regression analyses, weight stigma, internalized weight stigma and the tendency to avoid PA and sport were significant predictors of psychological distress, accounting for 22% of the variance in psychological distress scores. Conclusion: In this study, we found that addressing internalized weight stigma requires urgent action to promote better mental health through PA and sport participation. We propose a conceptual model to explore these relationships.
AB - Objectives: The psychosocial factors affecting physical activity (PA) and sport participation are not well understood but need to be to gain the psychological benefits of PA and sport. In this study, we sought to establish the relationship between weight stigmatization, the tendency to avoid, or participate in and/or enjoy PA and sport, and psychological distress. Methods: We collected demographic details and measures of the constructs of interest from 578 undergraduate students via an online survey. We ran bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression models to establish statistical relationships between the variables of interest. Results: In bivariate correlations, weight stigmatization and the tendency to avoid PA were significantly associated with greater psychological distress. Greater enjoyment of PA and sport was related with less psychological distress; however, participation in PA and sport was not associated with psychological distress. In multivariate regression analyses, weight stigma, internalized weight stigma and the tendency to avoid PA and sport were significant predictors of psychological distress, accounting for 22% of the variance in psychological distress scores. Conclusion: In this study, we found that addressing internalized weight stigma requires urgent action to promote better mental health through PA and sport participation. We propose a conceptual model to explore these relationships.
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U2 - 10.5993/AJHB.47.2.15
DO - 10.5993/AJHB.47.2.15
M3 - Article
C2 - 37226339
AN - SCOPUS:85160118855
SN - 1087-3244
VL - 47
SP - 360
EP - 368
JO - American Journal of Health Behavior
JF - American Journal of Health Behavior
IS - 2
ER -