Physical Activity And Body Image Satisfaction During The Covid-19 Global Pandemic.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate physical activity levels and body satisfaction three years into the COVID pandemic. 18-25-year-old college students were who were enrolled in one or more exercise science or physical fitness classes from 2021-2023 were surveyed. METHODS: The survey was a combination of the IPAQ and Situational Inventory of Body Image Dysphoria questionnaire. The study was conducted online; a mass email was sent out to students enrolled in physical fitness and exercise science courses. The survey was entirely anonymous. The survey took approximately 30 minutes to one hour to complete. RESULTS: There was a no significant correlation between total minutes of exercise and mean score of the body image satisfaction survey r = .-.146, p = .256, n = 62. The evaluation of physical activity was analyzed using the ACSM guidelines for physical activity. The 57% of participants met both the vigorous and moderate guidelines for physical activity (N = 62, 57%), while 66.1% who met MPA, 91.9% met VPA. CONCLUSION:Participants in this study showed that their body image satisfaction was not affected by exercise. The participants that were surveyed came from a convenience sample of those who were enrolled in some sort of exercise science or physical activity class, this factor could have affected the results of the study. Regardless of global pandemic shutting down commercial, and college fitness centers, the participants still were able to meet the guidelines prescribed by the ACSM.