Physical activity in normal-weight and overweight youth: associations with weight teasing and self-efficacy.
OBJECTIVE
To examine self-reported physical activity with regard to weight teasing and self-efficacy.


METHODS
Within a cross-sectional study, 321 overweight and normal-weight students, consisting of 51% girls (n = 161) and 49% boys (n = 160) at a mean age of 12.22 years (SD = 1.07), were sampled from German secondary schools. The Perception of Teasing Scale, the Physical Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Leipzig Lifestyle Questionnaire for Adolescents were used to assess experiences with weight-related teasing, self-efficacy, physical activity and social context variables.


RESULTS
Self-efficacy, weight teasing and social context variables were related to physical activity within the full sample (R(2) = 0.433). More frequent weight teasing was associated with decreased physical activity in boys, but not in girls. Overweight participants reported more frequent weight teasing experiences and less self-efficacy than participants of normal weight (all p < 0.001), but there was no difference in physical activity (p > 0.05).There were large correlations between self-efficacy and physical activity (r = 0.614, p < 0.01), and medium correlations for male sex and physical activity (r = 0.298, p < 0.01). Weight teasing and self-efficacy were negatively correlated (r = -0.190, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that self-efficacy and an encouraging social context are beneficial to physical activity while weight teasing experiences are detrimental. Interventions against weight teasing in youth are needed.
Losekam
Stefanie
S
Christoph Dornier Foundation of Clinical Psychology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. Stefanie.Losekam@gmx.de
Goetzky
Benjamin
B
Kraeling
Svenja
S
Rief
Winfried
W
Hilbert
Anja
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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