Social physique anxiety, obligation to exercise, and exercise choices among college students.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined relationships among social physique anxiety, obligation to exercise, and exercise choices.


METHODS
College students (N = 337; 200 women, 137 men) volunteered to complete 3 questionnaires: the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS), Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ), and Physical Activity Specification Survey (PASS).


RESULTS
On the SPAS, men (M score = 31.9 +/- 8.8) differed from women (M score = 37.3 +/- 8.3; p = .001). Men (M score = 43.0 +/- 9.9) and women (M score = 43.0 +/- 9.6) responded similarly (p = .94) on the OEQ. There was no interaction between sex and exercise level on the SPAS or OEQ. When separated by low, medium, and high SPAS scores, neither OEQ nor exercise scores differed.


CONCLUSIONS
Obligation to exercise appears to be similar for both sexes. Women, however, appear to have higher levels of anxiety regarding how others evaluate their physique than do men. The combination of level of activity and sex do not appear to be associated with social physique anxiety or obligation to exercise.
Chu
Hui-Wen
HW
Health Promotion and Wellness Management, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65897, USA.
Bushman
Barbara A
BA
Woodard
Rebecca J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001828:Body Image; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012945:Social Values; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities