The mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship of obesity and physical activity among adult females

Obesity is a significant global public health issue. The incidence of improper physical activity (PA) has increased in recent decades. A lack of self-efficacy and the necessity to perform PA associated with excess body weight may limit its potential benefits for obese individuals. Consequently, this study investigated the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between obesity and PA in adult females. In this cross-sectional study, 149 adult females aged 20 to 50 years with a body mass index >25 were recruited. The participants in this study completed a self-administered questionnaire containing the official Arabic version of the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. The associations between the measured variables were tested using a multiple linear regression model. This study demonstrated that obesity negatively predicted PA (B = -0.954, P < .001) and self-efficacy (B = -2.63, P < .001). When both variables were considered, obesity remained a negative predictor of PA (B = -1.63, P < .05), while self-efficacy positively predicted it (B = 0.963, P < .01). Furthermore, there were statistically significant direct and indirect associations between obesity and PA through the role of self-efficacy (P ≤ .05). These results indicate that self-efficacy partially mediates the effect of obesity on PA among adult females. Self-efficacy had a mediating effect on the association between obesity and PA in female adults. These findings highlight the importance of self-efficacy as a potential target for clinicians and researchers aiming to increase PA in obese populations.