Exploring the relationship between physical activity intensity and body appreciation in adolescent girls

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, physical activity (PA) levels have sharply declined among youth. This comes at a time when PA engagement is already low, but it has been reported that less than one in five children and youth currently meet the Canadian movement guidelines. This is concerning given the mental and physical health benefits associated with PA participation, which include improved cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength/endurance, cognitive functioning, and psychosocial health. It is important to continue to examine the factors that contribute to engagement in and disengagement from PA. Among girls, one prominent factor contributing to disengagement from PA is body image, which generally happens during the transition to adolescence. To date, most research focuses on interventions aimed at improving negative body image in PA and sport. However, these interventions neglect the importance of cultivating a positive body image among individuals. More research is needed to understand the relationship of PA intensity in helping adolescent girls cultivate a positive body image. This research examines the relationship between PA participation and body appreciation and the role that exercise intensity plays in helping adolescent girls cultivate body appreciation. Participants included girls aged 13 to 17 years attending school in Newfoundland and Labrador. In this mixed-methods study, physical activity was measured using accelerometry and body appreciation was assessed using the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2). Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to examine the influence of physical activity participation on body appreciation in girls. Descriptive statistics were computed for both the BAS-2 as well as average minutes of physical activity per day. Correlational analyses were used to examine relationships between physical activity and body appreciation. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the interview data. Although no significant relationship was established for physical activity participation and body appreciation in adolescent girls, the qualitative results from the interviews suggest that participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity intensity in addition to light physical activity promotes a more positive perception of one’s body image.