TY - JOUR
T1 - Tendency to avoid physical activity mediates the association between perceived weight stigma and physical activity levels among university students
AU - Yi, Jian
AU - Chen, I-Hua
AU - Chen, Hsin-Pao
AU - Lin, I-Ching
AU - Chen, Jung-Sheng
AU - Huang, Po-Ching
AU - O'Brien, Kerry S.
AU - Griffiths, Mark D.
AU - Lin, Chung-Ying
N1 - Funding Information:
Every PE student in China has one or more exercise specialties. Additionally, they are required to complete PE-related courses including education science, sport science, psychology, and administration. In other words, the Chinese students who major in PE know the concepts, mechanisms, and benefits of PA very well, and are more likely to engage in exercise and sport compared to non-PE students given the area they have chosen to specialize in academically. It has been reported that students who major in physical education (i.e., PE students) have higher PA levels than those who major in general subjects (i.e., non-PE students) (Chung, 2003; Gorospe & Ferrer, 2022), because they spend more time engaging in PA and sport training (Chung, 2003). Moreover, the common barriers of PA, such as lack of motivation, equipment, time, and support (Kelly et al., 2016), are rarely reported among PE students. Therefore, it is expected that they would less likely be affected by weight stigmatization as well as have a lower tendency to avoid PA compared to non-PE students. Previous research in China has investigated the effects of weight stigma and its associations with PA (Fung et al., 2019), nomophobia (fear of being without a smartphone) (Liu et al., 2022), food addiction (Cheng et al., 2018; Lin et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020), sleep (Wang et al., 2021), and quality of life (Fan et al., 2021; Kamolthip et al., 2021). More specifically, the findings indicate that weight-related self-stigma significantly explained the level of PA (Fung et al., 2021) and mediated the association between PA and quality of life (Fan et al., 2021; Kamolthip et al., 2021). In addition, greater weight-related self-stigma is associated with higher PA levels and greater nomophobia (Liu et al., 2022). Moreover, studies have also shown that PWS is associated with inappropriate eating behavior among both individuals who were overweight or non-overweight (Cheng et al., 2018; Lin et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020), and may increase the individuals’ stress and depressive symptoms, which are associated with poorer sleep quality (Wang et al., 2021). However, the issue of weight stigma together with the of tendency to avoid PA and PA among PE students has not yet been investigated. Additionally, the differences between PE and non-PE students in weight stigma, PA avoidance, and PA have never been previously studied.In addition to the previous studies supporting a ‘U-shape’ pattern of weight stigma across the weight spectrum (Himmelstein et al., 2018; Pearl et al., 2018), the present study found a significant difference in the level PWS between underweight and obese participants among two groups even when BMI was controlled for. This finding may due to the explicit and implicit preference on weight categories (Marini, 2017). That is, a pro-underweight preference was observed at the explicit level of weight stigma. Therefore, the present measures in assessing weight stigma (i.e., PWSS) may demonstrate a higher level of PWS among participants who were obese than participants who were underweight. Apart from that, the significant effect of tendency to avoid PA found in the present study corresponded with the mechanism proposed by Brewis (2014). More specifically, the mechanisms proposed that weight stigma may directly change the behavior of stigmatized individuals (Brewis, 2014). In addition, the effect of psychosocial stress has also been proposed to indirectly magnify the impact of weight stigma (Brewis, 2014). Weight stigma may act as a threat to social identification and result in individuals being in unfriendly social situations (Hunger et al., 2015). Therefore, to reduce perceived stress, a stigmatized individual may choose not to engage in sport and exercise to avoid being publicly devalued, which subsequentially develops to a longer-term avoidance tendency.Being a PE or non-PE major moderated the association between PWS and PA. More specifically, the present results showed that compared to non-PE students, PE students were less affected by tendency to avoid PA. This may be explained by the effect of physical self-concept. Physical self-concept refers to the individual's perception of their appearance and physical ability (Gorospe & Ferrer, 2022). Studies supported the relationship between PA and physical self-concept suggested that PA improves the physical perception and body satisfaction (Arazi & Hosseini, 2013; Fernandez-Bustos et al., 2019; Gorospe & Ferrer, 2022; Ruiz-Montero et al., 2020). That is, physically active individuals may consider themselves as having better physical fitness (e.g., better exercise performance or sport ability) (Ruiz-Montero et al., 2020). Such individuals are more likely to have a positive self-concept regarding their weight which subsequently enhances their psychological well-being (Fernandez-Bustos et al., 2019; Ruiz-Montero et al., 2020).This research was funded by Asia University Hospital, grant number AUH-11051012, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 110-2410-H-006-115; MOST 111-2410-H-006-100), E-Da Hospital internal grant (EDCHT111007), and the Higher Education Sprout Project, Ministry of Education to the Headquarters of University Advancement at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU).
Funding Information:
This research was funded by Asia University Hospital , grant number AUH-11051012, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 110-2410-H-006-115 ; MOST 111-2410-H-006-100 ), E-Da Hospital internal grant ( EDCHT111007 ), and the Higher Education Sprout Project , Ministry of Education to the Headquarters of University Advancement at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2024/3
Y1 - 2024/3
N2 - Background and aims: The World Health Organization recently announced an action plan to increase global physical activity (PA) levels due to individuals' increasingly inactive lifestyle. Perceived weight stigma (PWS) is a psychosocial factor that may reduce individuals’ PA, and PA avoidance may be involved in this association. Therefore, the present study conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate the mediating effect of tendency to avoid PA in the association between PWS and PA among Chinese university physical education (PE) students and non-PE students. Methods: Responses from non-PE (n = 2877) and PE (n = 2286) students were collected via an online survey comprising the Perceived Weight Stigma Scale, Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport Scale, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Results: Results of moderated atemporal mediation analysis showed a significant association between PWS and PA mediated by tendency to avoid PA among the two groups (B[SE] = 0.94[0.08], p < .001). In addition, compared to non-PE students, PE students were significantly less affected by tendency to avoid PA (B[SE] = -2.61[0.29], p < .001). However, when affected, PE students showed a larger reduction in moderate PA levels than non-PE students (B[SE] = −9.14[4.51], p = .043). Conclusion: The present study's findings showed that PWS negatively affected PA via the atemporal mediation of tendency to avoid PA among university PE and non-PE students. Additionally, compared to non-PE students, PE students showed a larger reduction in moderate PA levels when affected by the tendency to avoid PA. Strategies aimed at reducing weight stigma or promoting PA enjoyment could be adopted to facilitate PA engagement and maintain a physically active lifestyle.
AB - Background and aims: The World Health Organization recently announced an action plan to increase global physical activity (PA) levels due to individuals' increasingly inactive lifestyle. Perceived weight stigma (PWS) is a psychosocial factor that may reduce individuals’ PA, and PA avoidance may be involved in this association. Therefore, the present study conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate the mediating effect of tendency to avoid PA in the association between PWS and PA among Chinese university physical education (PE) students and non-PE students. Methods: Responses from non-PE (n = 2877) and PE (n = 2286) students were collected via an online survey comprising the Perceived Weight Stigma Scale, Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport Scale, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Results: Results of moderated atemporal mediation analysis showed a significant association between PWS and PA mediated by tendency to avoid PA among the two groups (B[SE] = 0.94[0.08], p < .001). In addition, compared to non-PE students, PE students were significantly less affected by tendency to avoid PA (B[SE] = -2.61[0.29], p < .001). However, when affected, PE students showed a larger reduction in moderate PA levels than non-PE students (B[SE] = −9.14[4.51], p = .043). Conclusion: The present study's findings showed that PWS negatively affected PA via the atemporal mediation of tendency to avoid PA among university PE and non-PE students. Additionally, compared to non-PE students, PE students showed a larger reduction in moderate PA levels when affected by the tendency to avoid PA. Strategies aimed at reducing weight stigma or promoting PA enjoyment could be adopted to facilitate PA engagement and maintain a physically active lifestyle.
KW - Avoidance
KW - Physical activity
KW - Physical education
KW - Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport Scale
KW - Weight stigma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85185725881&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.mhpa.2024.100584
DO - 10.1016/j.mhpa.2024.100584
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85185725881
SN - 1755-2966
VL - 26
JO - Mental Health and Physical Activity
JF - Mental Health and Physical Activity
M1 - 100584
ER -
