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The Relationship between Weight Stigma, Physical Appearance Concerns, and Enjoyment and Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport

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  • Nadia Bevan

    (School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia)

  • Kerry S. O’Brien

    (School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia)

  • Chung-Ying Lin

    (Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan
    Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan
    Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan)

  • Janet D. Latner

    (Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA)

  • Brian Vandenberg

    (School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia)

  • Ruth Jeanes

    (School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia)

  • Rebecca M. Puhl

    (Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA)

  • I-Hua Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Education Big Data, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China)

  • Simon Moss

    (College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina 0815, Australia)

  • Georgia Rush

    (School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia)

Abstract

Participation in physical activity and sport is on the decline and there is a poor understanding of the psychosocial factors that contribute to people’s reluctance to participate. We examined whether there were relationships between factors such as weight stigma, weight bias internalization, appearance evaluation, and fears of negative appearance evaluations, and enjoyment and avoidance of physical activity and sport. Undergraduate students ( N = 579) completed a survey assessing demographics, and the variables described above. In hierarchal multivariate regression models, weight stigma ( β = −0.16, p < 0.001), appearance evaluation ( β = 0.19, p = 0.001), and weight bias internalization ( β = −0.19, p = 0.003) were associated with lower enjoyment of physical activity and sport. Weight stigma ( β = 0.46, p = 0.001), weight bias internalization ( β = 0.42, p = 0.001), and fear of negative appearance evaluations ( β = 0.16, p = 0.000) were also significantly associated with the tendency to avoid physical activity and sport. Serial mediation analysis showed the relationship between weight stigma and enjoyment of physical activity and sport was through appearance evaluation and weight bias internalization (indirect effect = −0.007, SE = 0.002, 95% CI = −0.01, −0.02). Similarly, the relationship between weight stigma and avoidance of physical activity and sport was through weight bias internalization and fear of negative appearance evaluations (indirect effect = 0.11, SE = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.16). These results suggest that weight stigma and concerns about one’s physical appearance influence people’s enjoyment and reasoning for avoiding physical activity and sport. Research is needed to identify ways to reduce body-related stigma and increase enjoyment and participation in physical activity and sport.

Suggested Citation

  • Nadia Bevan & Kerry S. O’Brien & Chung-Ying Lin & Janet D. Latner & Brian Vandenberg & Ruth Jeanes & Rebecca M. Puhl & I-Hua Chen & Simon Moss & Georgia Rush, 2021. "The Relationship between Weight Stigma, Physical Appearance Concerns, and Enjoyment and Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:9957-:d:640571
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simone, Melissa & Hooper, Laura & Eisenberg, Marla E. & Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne, 2019. "Unhealthy weight control behaviors and substance use among adolescent girls: The harms of weight stigma," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 233(C), pages 64-70.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wei Liu & Jung-Sheng Chen & Wan Ying Gan & Wai Chuen Poon & Serene En Hui Tung & Ling Jun Lee & Ping Xu & I-Hua Chen & Mark D. Griffiths & Chung-Ying Lin, 2022. "Associations of Problematic Internet Use, Weight-Related Self-Stigma, and Nomophobia with Physical Activity: Findings from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Nadia Bevan & Kerry S. O’Brien & Janet D. Latner & Chung-Ying Lin & Brian Vandenberg & Ruth Jeanes & Xavier C. C. Fung, 2022. "Weight Stigma and Avoidance of Physical Activity and Sport: Development of a Scale and Establishment of Correlates," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-10, December.

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