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Effects of modifying physical activity and sedentary behavior on psychosocial adjustment in overweight/obese children.

Goldfield GS, Mallory R, Parker T, Cunningham T, Legg C, Lumb A, Parker K, Prud'homme D, Adamo KB

Mental Health Research, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON Canada K1H 8L1. ggoldfield@cheo.on.ca

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between changes in physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and physical self-perceptions and global self-worth in 30, 8-12 years old, overweight/obese children (13 boys, 17 girls). METHODS: Secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial designed to increase PA and reduce sedentary behavior. PA was measured by accelerometers worn by participants every day for 8 weeks. Sedentary behavior, defined as minutes per day spent in television viewing, was assessed by self-report. RESULTS: Increases in PA were associated with increases in perceived physical conditioning (r = .54, p < .01), body satisfaction (r = .55, p < .01), and overall physical self-worth (r = .44, p < .05) independent of changes in body mass index (BMI). Reductions in TV viewing were also related to increased physical and global self-worth. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in PA are associated with improvements in physical self-perceptions but not global self-worth, while reductions in TV viewing are associated with increased physical and global self-worth, and these psychosocial benefits appear to be independent of changes in adiposity.

Published 10 July 2007 in J Pediatr Psychol, 32(7): 783-93.
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