Just one 30-minute bout of exercise makes
women feel stronger and thinner, according to a new UBC study. And the
positive effect lasts well beyond the activity itself, which may be good
news for women concerned about their body image.
"Women, in general, have a tendency to feel negatively about their
bodies," says study senior author Kathleen Martin Ginis, professor in
UBC Okanagan's School of Health and Exercise Sciences. "This is a
concern because poor body image can have harmful implications for a
woman's psychological and physical health including increased risk for
low self-esteem, depression and for eating disorders. This study
indicates exercise can have an immediate positive effect."
Martin Ginis, along with her graduate student Lauren Salci, compared
the body image and physical perceptions of women who completed 30
minutes of moderate aerobic exercise with those who sat and read. Women
in the exercise group had significant improvements in their body image
compared to those who didn't exercise. This positive effect lasted at
least 20 minutes post-exercise. The research team further established
that this effect was not due to a change in the women's mood, rather it
was linked to perceiving themselves as stronger and thinner.
"We all have those days when we don't feel great about our bodies,"
says Martin Ginis. "This study and our previous research shows one way
to feel better, is to get going and exercise. The effects can be
immediate."
Martin Ginis sees this study as a gateway to developing maximally effective body image-enhancing exercise interventions.
According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly one half of
North American women experience some degree of body image
dissatisfaction and this has become more prevalent over the last three
decades.
"We think that the feelings of strength and empowerment women achieve
post exercise, stimulate an improved internal dialogue," says Martin
Ginis. "This in turn should generate positive thoughts and feelings
about their bodies which may replace the all too common negative ones."
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