New Research Alert: How Weight Self-Stigma and Self-Esteem Can Impact Exercise Capacity

Throughout all of the 21st century, obesity has been a steadfast global concern, tripling since 1975. Globally, almost 1.9 billion adults are considered overweight and 650 million of those adults are considered obese (WHO, 2021). Additionally, around 27% of women in the US are considered obese, which is a significant portion of the population (US Department of Health and Human Services). Obesity is considered preventable and thus looking into ways that global numbers can be reduced is of utmost importance. Factors that could play a role in why obesity cannot be reduced may stem from the way our mind works. Previous studies have found that body image correlates well with self-esteem (O’dea, 2012) and obese individuals, as well as women tend to have worse body image (Makara-Studzińska, 2009) and (Voges et al, 2019). Since self-esteem plays a crucial role in motivation for tasks, Aldhahi et al. (2022) sought to see if self-esteem and other psychological factors have an impact on the capacity one has for exercise.

Researchers placed 66 women into 2 groups categorized as either normal-weight or overweight. They asked these women to walk on a treadmill for 12 minutes, with speed and angle increasing as time went on. During this time, the researchers took measurements to calculate something called VO2Max, which is the best evaluation method for the function of the cardiovascular system. Higher levels of VO2Max indicate better exercise capacity. The test stopped when the participants were exhausted and could not continue. The researchers also asked participants to complete a Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire which gauges the participants' fear of other people judging them for their body (think body dissatisfaction). The higher the score the “more shame” it represented. Self-esteem was measured through the gold-standard Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, which asked participants to rate how they felt about statements such as “On the whole, I am satisfied with myself” (Rosenberg, 1965). However, here a higher score meant that individuals had higher levels of self-esteem.

The results showed significant differences between the two groups. The exercise duration, self-esteem, and weight self-stigma ratings were all found to be significantly less in overweight women. Interestingly, the VO2Max levels were found to be significantly lower in overweight women, meaning that these women had a lower exercise capacity than normal-weight women. However, it was found that overweight women used more energy than their counterparts. After using various data-analysis methods, the researchers found that the differences in the VO2Max levels between the overweight and normal-weight women were related to self-esteem and weight-self stigma.

This study highlights that psychological factors can have an impact on the function of a woman’s cardiovascular system. Specifically, factors like body satisfaction had a significant negative link with women’s capacity for exercise. Taking these results into perspective, the importance of considering psychological factors when creating exercise programs for individuals is highlighted. However, a more global approach would be to implement programs that address the root of the cause - the poor self-esteem and body dissatisfaction in overweight individuals.

Citations:

Aldhahi, M. I., Al Khalil, W. K., Almutiri, R. B., Alyousefi, M. M., Alharkan, B. S., & AnNasban, H. (2022). Effect of Weight Self-Stigma and Self-Esteem on Aerobic Exercise Capacity in Adult Women with Different Body Compositions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(2), 873.

Makara-Studzińska, M., & Zaborska, A. (2009). Otyłość a obraz własnego ciała [Obesity and body image]. Psychiatria polska, 43(1), 109–114.

O'Dea, J. A. (2012). Body image and self-esteem.

Rosenberg, M. (1965). Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE). Acceptance and commitment therapy. Measures package, 61(52), 18.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021, September). Overweight & Obesity Statistics. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity

Voges, M. M., Giabbiconi, C. M., Schöne, B., Waldorf, M., Hartmann, A. S., & Vocks, S. (2019). Gender differences in body evaluation: Do men show more self-serving double standards than women?. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 544.

WHO. (2021, June 9). Obesity and overweight. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight