title: Exercise and self-esteem in menopausal women: a randomized controlled trial involving walking and yoga.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of walking and yoga on multidimensional self-esteem and roles played by self-efficacy, body composition, and physical activity (PA) in changes in esteem.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-month randomized controlled exercise trial with three arms: walking, yoga, and control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Previously low-active middle-aged women (n=164; M age = 49.9; SD = 3.6).
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured and supervised walking program meeting three times per week for I hour and supervised yoga program meeting twice per week for 90 minutes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Body composition, fitness assessment, and battery of psychologic measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Panel analysis within a structural equation modeling framework using Mplus 3.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The walking and yoga interventions failed to enhance global or physical self-esteem but improved subdomain esteem relative to physical condition and strength (for walking) and body attractiveness (for both walking and yoga). Over time the effects of PA, self-efficacy, and body fat on changes in physical self-esteem and global esteem were mediated by changes in physical condition and body attractiveness subdomain esteem. Women reporting greater levels of self-efficacy and PA with lower body fat also reported greater enhancements in subdomain esteem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide support for the hierarchic and multidimensional nature of self-esteem and indicate that middle-aged women may enhance certain aspects of physical self-esteem by participating in PA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, 268-B Recreation Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA. sxe16@psu.edu
authors.forename: Steriani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elavsky
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McAuley
mesh_terms: D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015013:Yoga / Q000523:psychology*