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Background: Significant proportions of young people experience body dissatisfaction, which has implications for psychological and physical well-being. Lesson content and perceived competence may be important variables for the experience of body dissatisfaction, yet these have been underexplored in physical education. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to identify the relationships between body dissatisfaction and perceptions of competence, and to explore whether body dissatisfaction depends on lesson content., Methods: A paper-and-pencil questionnaire was completed by 446 (210 boys, 236 girls) 13- to 14-year-old pupils from 37 physical education classes. The questionnaire assessed body dissatisfaction and perceived competence in physical education. Lesson content was also recorded. Twenty-nine of the classes were engaged in team activities, eg, ball games. Eight classes were engaged in individual activities, eg, fitness., Results: Multilevel analysis identified a significant negative association between body dissatisfaction and perceptions of competence in physical education. Lesson content did not significantly predict variations in body dissatisfaction scores., Conclusions: Teachers should focus on enhancing pupils' perceptions of competence in physical education to support the development of body satisfaction., (© 2018, American School Health Association.)

Body image has implications for child and adolescent well-being. Schools have been positioned as a suitable site to provide body image education and support the development of body image; however, little is known about the role of physical education in body image education. The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence on the content and effectiveness of physical education-based body image or body-focused programmes published between 2000 and 2021. Using seven databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS, EBSCO, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Science Direct, and SportDiscus), a total of 1185 non-duplicated articles were retrieved. The articles were selected using the following inclusion criteria: (a) intervention, programme or curriculum based in physical education that explores body image or related phenomena, (b) focused on children or young people, aged 18 years or younger, (c) conducted between 2000 and 2021, (d) quantitative and/or qualitative methods: and (e) published in English. Following the screening process, a total of 19 articles were included in this review. Results showed that most programmes reported successful outcomes, yet there was no consistent approach to the programme design and delivery. Physical activity and fitness-based programmes were the most frequently used intervention type, followed by critical sociocultural perspectives and programmes focused on movement experiences and body functionality. Whilst fitness-based programmes were generally effective in improving body image and related phenomena, future research should explore the mechanisms associated with these changes and further consider how sociocultural perspectives can be used to support body image programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant proportions of adolescents do not meet recommended physical activity levels. Finding new ways to motivate adolescents to be active is important for physical and psychological well-being. Health and fitness wearables such as the Fitbit have the potential to motivate young people to be active. The aim of this study is to explore if wearing a Fitbit for 5 weeks impacted adolescents' (14–15 year olds) body satisfaction, physical activity motivation and objective physical activity. The study was conducted with 62 (38 boys, 24 girls) pupils aged 14–15, from five high school physical education classes, in one high school in the United Kingdom. Pupils wore a Fitbit Charge HR for 5 weeks. Pupils wore an accelerometer for 7 days pre and post the 5-week period to explore changes in physical activity levels. Pupils also completed pre-post-test questionnaires to measure body satisfaction and physical activity motivation. Data were analysed using a repeated measures Multivariate Analysis of Variance to explore differences in scores between time and sex. After wearing the Fitbit, the pupils experienced declines in autonomous motivation and increases in both amotivation and controlled motivation, but these differences were not significant. In line with these negative motivational outcomes, pupils engaged in significantly less moderate to vigorous physical activity after wearing the Fitbit. Significant increases in body satisfaction were also experienced by pupils after wearing the Fitbit. These findings suggest that without support Fitbits may make pupils less motivated to be active and decrease the physical activity levels of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body image disturbance in children and adolescents has negative implications for psychological and physical well-being. To positively impact well-being, it is important to explore factors that influence body image and to identify strategies that can be used to reduce body image disturbance. The school curriculum can play a significant role in shaping how children and adolescents experience their bodies. Within this school curriculum, physical education lessons represent one of the only school subjects in which the body is a focus of curricular outcomes. In physical education, the body is judged for physical ability but is also situated in a space that provides the potential for social comparisons and body judgements. Significant attention has been paid to the development of classroom-based interventions that aim at reducing body image disturbance, yet physical education has largely been ignored as a context in which one can effectively intervene. This paper reviews current knowledge on the relationship between physical education and body image disturbance by using the cognitive-behavioural model of body image developments as a guiding framework. It also considers the contribution that physical education could make to wider school-based interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]