Effects of regular aerobic exercise on physical characteristics, body image satisfaction and self-efficacy of middle-aged women

VURGUN N.

South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, vol.37, no.1, pp.151-163, 2015 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 37 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2015
  • Journal Name: South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.151-163
  • Keywords: Aerobic exercise, Body fat, Body Mass Index, Body image satisfaction, Self-efficacy
  • Manisa Celal Bayar University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study examined the effects of regular aerobic exercise on physical variables, body image satisfaction and self-efficacy levels of sedentary women. An exercise group and a control group consisted of 25 and 20 middle-aged women respectively. The exercise group participated in a 14-week aerobic training programme, whereas the control group did not participate in any special kind of physical activity. In addition to administering the Body Image Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Self-efficacy Scale, anthropometric variables were assessed before the commencement of the study and again immediately afterwards. The data were analysed by a one-way ANCOVA. The main results revealed significant decreases in body mass, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, as well as significant improvements in body image satisfaction and self-efficacy scores, with large effect sizes after the intervention for the exercise group. Regular aerobic exercise had a positive effect on body image satisfaction and self-efficacy of middle-aged women. This could possibly be due to improvements in their physical characteristics that resulted from the exercise programme.