K-State Study Finds a Negative Self-Image Stops Men and Women From Exercising Long-Term; People Often Drop Out of

MANHATTAN, KS, Apr 06 (MARKET WIRE) --
Individuals trying to become consistent exercisers might be deterred by a
negative self-image, according to a Kansas State University study.

Elizabeth Fallon, K-State assistant professor of kinesiology, is
conducting a series of studies to better understand how emotional
barriers like a negative body image prevent individuals from having an
active lifestyle. Her project stems from an undergraduate student's
research findings that a low body image ultimately makes someone less
successful at being physically active.

"We know how to get people to become active, but the problem is few
people are able to maintain their physical activity," she said. "We often
see people enroll in a new program to initiate physical activity, and
when the program ends they go back to baseline levels. Then they enroll
in another new program. We're spending a lot of time with the same
people, so we really need to find the keys to physical activity
maintenance."

Fallon teaches a course at K-State on body image, eating disorders and
obesity. After taking her class in spring 2008, Bryce Burton -- a May
2009 K-State graduate in kinesiology from Lyons -- decided to study the
effects of people's body image on their long-term adherence to physical
activity.

Burton used data of regular exercisers that Fallon collected in the
southeastern United States when she was a graduate student at the
University of Florida. In Fallon's survey, participants had selected
their body image based on a measure of extremely unsatisfied to extremely
satisfied. For Burton's study, he used the data as well as constructs in
the transtheoretical model, which is a systematic way to describe or
predict health behavior.

"Theories provide a very efficient way to change a particular behavior,"
Fallon said. "The advantage of this theory being systematic is that it
gives very specific mental and behavioral things for interventionists to
act on."

According to the transtheoretical model, Fallon said people are
categorized based on the amount of time they have continued being
physically active. An individual who has been exercising for fewer than
six months is in the action stage, and after six months the individual is
in the maintenance stage. An individual continuing exercise for five
years is in the termination stage, which means that there is little
chance of relapse into baseline levels of physical activity.

Fallon said recommendations for physical activity include 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity on five or more days a week or 20
minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity three days a week.

"Long-term adherence is meeting one of these guidelines every week for
more than six months," she said. "The problem is that most people drop
out of physical activity programs before six months."

Burton's findings showed that for both men and women, a low body image
resulted in less success in physical activity attempts. For example,
confidence to be physically active is a powerful predictor of engaging in
physical activity. Compared to people with high body image, those with
low body image have less confidence to be physically active.

"I didn't think body image would matter for the men, because generally
speaking our culture is more focused on modifying women's bodies in some
way," Fallon said. "But we found that low body image may deter men from
physical activity, too."

Fallon's research interests include the level of physical activity in
women and underserved populations. She said when it comes to all health
behaviors, such as going to wellness exams and wearing a seat belt, women
are higher than men on their readiness to change -- except for physical
activity.

Much of her research shows that women use more mental and behavioral
strategies for physical activity, such as believing in the benefits of
physical activity.

"Even though they're using more of these processes, national levels of
physical activity are actually lower for women compared to men," she
said. "I think that's where body image comes in, because it is typically
more of an issue for women."

Burton's study was the first to find that body image interacts with other
well-known factors that influence physical activity, Fallon said. She
will conduct a follow-up survey this summer with Paige Johnson, a
freshman in kinesiology and a 2006 graduate of Thunderbird High School in
Phoenix. This study will use a different and more detailed measure of
body image and will sample from a wider geographical region. If these
findings are replicated, the next step will be to implement physical
activity interventions that aim to improve physical activity and
self-image simultaneously.

Burton's study was presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine annual
meeting in April 2009. Collaborators for these studies are Brandonn
Harris, assistant professor of special education, counseling and student
affairs; Sharolyn Jackson, extension specialist in the northeast area
office; Rachel Witham, Hutchinson, graduate student in counseling and
student development; Shely Weinrich, Manhattan, and Julie Pickler,
Sachse, Texas, both graduate students in public health; and Sarah Fieger,
Dundee, Ore., and Aubrey Arnold, Council Grove, both graduate students in
kinesiology.

Contact:
Elizabeth Fallon
785-532-7287
efallon@k-state.edu

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

-0-