Search

This cross-sectional study conducted in Poland explored the relationship between the fear of negative appearance evaluations, eating disorders, and physical activity objectives, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale (FNAES), the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), and the Physical Activity Goals Inventory (IPAO) were administered to 644 participants (455 males with a mean age of 35.2 ± 6.2 years and 189 females with a mean age of 30.18 ± 5.7 years). This study explored the effects of gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) on FNAES, EAT-26, and IPAO scores. The results of this study demonstrated that females scored higher on fear of negative appearance, peaking at 41–50 years of age. Distinct BMI categories were associated with different negative appearance fear scores, eating attitudes, and physical activity objectives. Significant correlations were also found between the fear of negative appearance, dietary attitudes, and physical activity goals. Eating attitudes completely moderated the relationship between the fear of negative appearance and physical activity objectives. A significant interaction effect of age and body mass index on physical activity objectives was also revealed. These results highlight the relevance of considering gender, age, and body mass index when examining the associations between the fear of negative appearance, eating attitudes, and physical activity objectives.

Introduction: Research has shown that neglecting psychological skills such as mindfulness leads to a decline in physical and psychological performance in people. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a course of mindfulness exercises on working memory indexes in adolescents. Method: The present study was a semi-experimental study with two experimental and control groups. The statistical population consisted of teenagers aged 14 to 18 years in the first district of Tehran city in 2022. The participants included 20 adolescents (10 girls and 10 boys) who were available, selected, and randomly divided into two 10-member mindfulness and control groups. The mindfulness group exercises lasted 20-45 minutes per session for 6 weeks. Corsi Block software was used to measure working memory indexes. Mixed analysis of variance and independent and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data. All statistical analyzes were performed with SPSS software version 21 at the P

Abstract The influence of sociocultural attitudes toward the body on young people’s physical activity has received increasing attention. However, there is a lack of cross-cultural research in this area. The main aim of this research was to identify the similarities and differences in the sociocultural attitudes toward the body of Polish and Chinese young people who grew up in European and Asian cultures and to analyze their effect on the motivation for physical activity. A cross-sectional research study was conducted among 18- to 30-year-old Polish (n = 259) and Chinese (n = 208) young people. The variables were measured using the Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Questionnaire 3 (SATAQ 3) and the Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives (IPAO). Descriptive and comparative statistics, Spearman’s rho, and the stepwise multiple regression analysis were used. The main analysis showed There are both similarities and significant differences in the performance of young Polish and Chinese men and women on the variables studied; Internalization-Athlete, Pressures, and Internalization-General are universal sociocultural predictors of motivation for physical activity among young people in Poland and China; Information is a specific sociocultural predictor of motivation for physical activity in Polish young people. The cultural nuances need to be considered in understanding young people’s Motivation for undertaking physical activity.

Importance: Postmenopausal women affected by overweight and obesity are susceptible to a variety of diseases due to inflammation. Exercise may reduce the risk of disease by attenuating low-grade chronic inflammation. Objective: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effects of exercise on inflammatory markers in postmenopausal women struggling with overweight and obesity. Method: Literature as of May 2023 was searched from databases such as Cochrane, Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science, and EBSCO and English-language randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that meet the inclusion criteria were selected. Studies were included based on the following criteria: (A) Written in English; (B) RCTs; (C) Postmenopausal women impacted by overweight and obesity as research objects; (D) Outcome measurements include CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and adiponectin; (E) Duration of the exercise intervention is eight weeks. Results: A total of 34 articles and 2229 participants were included. Exercise can significantly reduce the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) (MD: -0.59, 95 % CI: −0.87 to −0.31, p

IntroductionParents' supportiveness and health-promoting habits significantly affect the intensity of children's physical activity (PA) and the involvement of parents in their engagement in PA; in this domain, both the hours devoted to PA and PA goals can be assessed. The family plays an important role in shaping the physical and social organization of the environment for children aged 4–6 years.MethodsA total of 680 families with 5-year-old children (330 girls, 350 boys) took part in the study. Data were collected from these participants, who were recruited from preschools and primary schools in the Pomeranian region of Poland. The aim of this study was to determine whether the involvement of parents in PA mediates the influence of parental attitudes on the ways in which their children spend their leisure time.ResultsThe results showed that not all parental attitudes had direct impact on children's leisure time in PA and outside PA. Other aspects parental attitude had no significant impact on offspring's free time. Among fathers, only four aspects of parental attitude (namely, acceptance–rejection, inconsistency, autonomy, and overprotectiveness) had an impact on PA goals. Mothers' goals were influenced by the strength of a larger number of aspects of attitude (namely, acceptance–rejection, autonomy, inconsistency, over-demandingness, and overprotectiveness). Similarly, the strength of mothers' and fathers' acceptance–rejection attitudes, attitudes of autonomy, and overprotectiveness had an impact on their PA goals but were not directly linked to their children's leisure-time engagement in PA.DiscussionNot all parental attitudes have a direct impact on children's PA or non-PA leisure time. However, the goals of PA parents have been recognized influence the leisure time of children in PA and outside PA. The most statistically significant relationship for both mothers and fathers was between parental attitudes and PA goals. Parental attitudes do not play a significant role in explaining involvement in PA or lack of it in leisure time among 5-year-old children.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic managers experienced additional stress connected with taking responsibility for workers at the time of a worldwide crisis. Maintaining a high level of physical activity in this specific group possibly could have contributed to keeping both management skills and health condition at a high required standard. The purpose of this review is to verify the range of scientific interest on the subject of physical activity among managers as a stress coping strategy during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: For this systematic review six studies were chosen (two of them are qualitative descriptive, three are cross-sectional, one is a report). The inclusion criteria were as follows: studies focusing on stress, physical activity and managers; studies conducted in the years of COVID-19 epidemic available in full-text. The exclusion criteria applied to studies where the managers’ group was not specified. The number of study participants ranged from 20 to 255. Results: The frequency of exercise was insufficient and unsuitable to the managers’ specific needs, especially during the demanding time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The managers were highly aware of the role of sport in lowering stress and improving health, especially during the pandemic. However, this has not resulted in more frequent physical activity among this group. There is a high probability that further confronting the leaders with their real physical activity daily habits would have influenced their reflection about the subject and initiated change.

Abstract Background Obesity is considered to be one of the most important factors reducing the sense of happiness and satisfaction with life, especially among women. This belief already exists in middle childhood, as the preschool period is a crucial point in the development of attitudes towards beauty. Preschoolers can identify physically attractive individuals, and they might already form attributions regarding the looks of adults (especially women), which in turn may constitute a foundation for their future concept of beauty-related happiness. Children’s attitudes towards the body are also strongly influenced by the content of gender stereotypes that prescribe and proscribe what women and men should look like. In our study, we aimed to analyse the relationship between associations of obesity and happiness made by preschool girls and boys (5-year-olds). Methods A total of 680 families with five-year-old children (329 girls, 351 boys; M age = 5.7 years) and both parents took part in the study. Children’s associations of different types of body sizes with perceptions of happiness were measured with the Beauty & Health pictorial scale. Results Our results indicate that obese bodies were seen as unattractive, independent of gender (p

Abstract Background This study aimed to examine the effect of Baduanjin exercise on COVID-19-related anxiety, psychological well-being, and the lower back pain of college students during the coronavirus pandemic in China. Setting The study was carried out in a temporary experimental center of four universities in Wenzhou city in Zhejiang Province, China. Population 387 participants who were college students were allocated to two groups: the Baduanjin exercise group(BEG, n = 195); and the Control group(CG,n = 192). Methods In this randomized controlled trial,387 participants who were college students were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to 12-week Baduanjin exercise group (BEG, n = 195)and 12-week Control group(CG,n = 192).CAS(Coronavirus Anxiety Scale), PWBS(Psychological Well-being Scale),NMQ( Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire), was used to assess COVID-19-related anxiety, psychological well-being, and lower back pain at second times ( before and after the intervention). The paired t-test and an independent t-test (with a 95% confidence interval) was used to compare the outcome variables of the two groups. Results Within-group comparison, there was no significant difference in the control group before and after the intervention. In contrast, the Baduanjin group had a significant improvement before and after the intervention. Between-group comparison, the Baduanjin group had a significant difference from the control group. The intervention effect on the Baduanjin exercise group was remarkably better than that of the control group (p

Objectives: Sensation seeking (SS) is associated with engaging in risk behaviors and it is also positively correlated with engaging in physical activity and building beneficial personality resources for coping processes. This study investigates the role of SS in building resiliency and the risk of tobacco and alcohol use.Methods: A total of 649 adolescents, who either practice or do not practice sports, took part in this study. Participants completed a set of questionnaires which verify level of: SS, resiliency, tobacco and alcohol use.Results: No statistically significant gender- or sports-related differences were observed on the tobacco and alcohol use, as well as for SS according to the ANOVA results. Furthermore, mediation analysis showed that the effect of SS on tobacco and alcohol use through resiliency was significant for the female PE and the male athlete group.Conclusion: Higher influence of SS on resiliency was noted in the male athlete group, and in this case resiliency was a factor protecting against tobacco use. Engaging in sports fosters resiliency, the mechanisms underlying the development of resiliency seem to be aided by SS.

BackgroundObligatory exercise has been shown to have negative physical and mental effects on exercisers and is more prevalent among young people. However, there is limited research on obligatory exercise among young men. Social comparison theory offers a novel perspective to explore the relationship between sociocultural factors and obligatory exercise among young men, which offers an opportunity to understand potential factors contributing to obligatory exercise among young men across different cultures.MethodWe recruited a purposive sample of young people aged 18-30 from Poland (n=79) and China (n=194). Participants completed self-report measures including the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire3, Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives, and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire. In the data analysis stage, we examined the strength of the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable through multiple regression analysis, and tested the role of the mediating variables.ResultsThe main analyses revealed that Internalization-Athlete was a common direct predictor of obligatory exercise for both Polish and Chinese young men; that there were direct sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise that were only used in relation to Polish or Chinese young men; and that social adaptation goals for motivation for physical activity mediated the development of obligatory exercise for Polish and Chinese young men, and that there were cross-cultural differences.ConclusionAttention should be paid to their attitudes towards the idea of a muscular and athletic body and socially adapted physical activity motivations when understanding young men’s obligatory exercise, while also considering cross-cultural differences.

Being employed in a managerial position is often associated with maintaining high standards in many aspects of life. Many leaders pay attention to their physical activity, eating habits, and social skills. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional difficulties to the already-demanding job of managing people and forced managers to make many changes to their daily functioning at work. The main goal of this study was to establish whether Gender, Experience, and Management Level influenced respondents’ healthy behaviors (eating attitudes and physical activity) or soft skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic with a sample of 348 managers from a variety of companies (n = 222 women, n = 126 men) with different levels of experience and responsibility. The authors used the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), four questions from the Physical Activity Objectives Questionnaire, and a self-authored soft skills questionnaire. The results showed that, compared to females, males were characterized by lower levels on all three EAT-26 scales: Bulimia and Food Preoccupation, Oral Control, and Dieting. On the other hand, male respondents who held high managerial positions were characterized by high levels of Dieting, Oral Control, Bulimia, and Food Preoccupation. This analysis provides insights that may help improve the quality of life of employees; however, further research is needed to investigate the direct influence of managers on employees in different industries.

ObjectiveBody-image disturbance and eating disorders are significant physical and mental health problems in China. Attitudes toward the body are thought to work in conjunction with other established risk factors for dietary pathology, which include body dissatisfaction, dieting, and negative effects. Negative appearance evaluation may be valuable for extending our understanding of measuring factors and potential causal relationships associated with body image and eating problems. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between negative appearance evaluation and a combination of eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance and the mediating effect of negative appearance evaluation on the relationship between eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance.MethodsWe invited 339 Chinese adults to undergo the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale (FNAES), and the Sociocultural Attitudes toward Appearance (SATAQ-3) scale, and used AMOS 24.0 for model construction and mediating effects testing.ResultsThere was a significant positive correlation between EAT-26 scores and FNAES (p < 0.001) and SATAQ-3 scores (p < 0.001), and all dimensions except internalization general were significantly positively correlated (p < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between FNAES and SATAQ-3 scores for all dimensions (p < 0. 01). There was no significant direct effect of eating attitude on sociocultural attitude toward appearance; however, there was a significant mediating effect of fear of negative appearance evaluation.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that negative appearance evaluation fully mediates the relationship between eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance. An individual’s attitude toward eating affects negative body perceptions and thus their perception of their own body shape. Our exploration of the specific effects of eating attitudes on body perception provides a psychological basis for guidance and developing interventions regarding attitudes toward the body.

Background: The issue of scientific measurement of somatotypes of athletes with physical disabilities and the type of physical activity undertaken by them is poorly documented in the literature. The aim of the study is to determine what type of body composition is characteristic of athletes with physical disabilities, engaging in various types of physical activity, such as swimming, sitting volleyball and weight lifting. Material and methods: Sixty men, aged 20-30, were qualified for the study. Each study participant had a motor dysfunction and was in intellectual norm. For the research protocol, Sheldon’s typology in Heath and Carter modification was used. Results: The group of men with physical disabilities practicing swimming regularly had the advantage of endomorphic and mesomorphic components. A similar distribution of components in the somatotype was demonstrated by men playing sitting volleyball. Men lifting weights clearly showed the dominance of the mesomorphic component and, to a small extent, the share of the ectomorphic and endomorphic components. Conclusions: A properly calculated somatotype allows disabled athletes to learn about body composition components and to train and develop more effectively in a particular physical activity.

Mass media and social networks portray a unified image of the perfect male body. The intensity and universality of this influence is an important element of the process of Westernization, especially in traditional cultures such as that of Poland. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the differences between Polish gay and heterosexual men in terms of the role played by self-esteem and the level of internalization of sociocultural standards of body appearance as predictors of the development of their body images. The research study was conducted by reference to 19- to 29-year-old Polish heterosexual (n = 287) and gay (n = 97) men. The variables were measured using Polish versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Scale-3, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire. Statistical analyses identified several variables as the main predictors of body image in both heterosexual and gay young men: self-esteem, information-seeking, perceived pressure and the internalization of sociocultural standards regarding an athletic body image drawn from mass media. The only significant difference between the two groups was the fact that self-esteem, perceived pressure and the internalization of sociocultural standards from mass media did not play a predictive role with respect to Appearance Orientation among the group of gay men.

The main aims of this study were to determine which sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise are universal for young men or women and which are specific to particular cultural conditions (Polish or Chinese culture) and to examine the mediating role of eating attitudes. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Poles (n = 259) and Chinese (n = 208) aged 18 to 30. Descriptive and comparative statistics, Spearman’s rho, and multiple regression analysis were used. The main analyses showed that Internalization—Athlete was a common positive direct predictor of obligatory exercise among young Polish and Chinese women; Information and Internalization—Athlete were only specific direct positive predictors of obligatory exercise in young Chinese men; some variables in eating attitudes mediated the development of obligatory exercise in young Polish and Chinese men and women and indicated that there were cross-cultural differences. In understanding obligatory exercise among young people, attention should be paid to their sociocultural attitudes toward the body and eating, and cultural and gender differences need to be considered.

In recent years, with the continuous reform and innovation of the sports industry, the national training of sports talents has gradually developed into the training mode of skilled sports talents and professional talents in the field of sports. Therefore, the research on the influence of entrepreneurship education on the entrepreneurial psychology of sports majors has become the inevitable requirement of the development of the sports industry. The purposes are to understand the entrepreneurial psychology and its influencing factors of the students in sports majors after graduation and promote more suitable college students to start businesses and realize self-value. With the students in sports majors in four colleges of Y province as the research object, the typical model in psychology, planning behavior model, is taken as the basic theoretical basis. The questionnaire method combined with the data mining technology based on the decision tree model is adopted to study the influencing factors of entrepreneurial psychology of sports majors. It focuses on the influencing factors and mechanisms of the entrepreneurial drive of sports students. The results show that the three factors, namely, entrepreneurial behavior attitude, entrepreneurial subjective norms, and entrepreneurial perceptual behavior control, are different and interrelated. They are inseparable and can be transformed into each other under certain conditions. Three factors jointly drive the entrepreneurial behavior of students in sports majors. The entrepreneurial drive of students in sports majors in Y province is a dynamic system mechanism, which is analyzed using data mining technology. The entrepreneurial perceptual behavior control is the core factor affecting the entrepreneurial drive of students in sports majors. However, the success rate of entrepreneurs will be higher when the three elements play a reasonable role. The subjective factors driving their entrepreneurship will be reduced in direct proportion when entrepreneurs are deficient in one aspect.

Background As a conscious activity of an individual, physical activity (PA) constitutes an element of the free-time dimension. The type of goal allows us to distinguish between sport and PA: sport performance vs. psychophysical health. Drawing on the theory of the motivational function of an objective, this study examined the motivational function of an objective in physical activity and sport. Participants and procedures The sample consisted of 2141 individuals: 1163 women aged 16-64 years (M = 23.90, SD = 8.30) and 978 men aged 16-66 years (M = 24.50, SD = 9.40) who completed the Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives (IPAO), which includes the following scales: 1) motivational value, 2) time management, 3) persistence in action, and 4) motivational conflict. There are also questions that allow one to control for variables such as the variety of forms, duration, and frequency of PA, and socio-demographic variables. Results Males presented different motives of physical activity than females. Motives related to shapely body and health were more important for females. The most important motives for males were physical fitness and shapely body. The gender of participants moderates the motivational value of the specific objectives of physical activity and persistence in action. Conclusions With knowledge about the purposefulness of actions, it is possible to support and shape additional motivation experienced by an individual, by setting new, realistic objectives.

A strong sociocultural context could affect an individual’s aesthetic standards. In order to achieve a socially recognized ideal appearance, obligatory exercisers might increase dieting behavior when exercise actions are disturbed, thereby placing the individual at risk of eating disorders. The current study mainly examined the relationship between obligatory exercise and eating attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and considered the mediating role of externalized sociocultural attitudes towards appearance between the two. A total of 342 participants (175 females, 167 males) from various regions of China were invited to fill out the questionnaires including the Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire, the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3, and the Eating Attitudes Test. In total, 51.5% of the participants presented symptoms of an obligatory exercise behavior. Among them, males, young adults, and the participants with lower BMI had higher OEQ scores, whereas females and young adults had higher EAT-26 scores. Meanwhile, 9.4% of the participants might have had an eating disorder. The OEQ score was positively correlated with the EAT-26 total score as well as SATAQ-3 ‘Pressures’ and ‘Information’ subscales. In addition, the EAT-26 total score was positively correlated with the SATAQ-3 ‘Pressures’ and ‘Information’ subscales. Externalized sociocultural attitudes towards appearance served as a mediator between obligatory exercise behavior and eating attitudes, and the mediation effect accounted for 56.82% of the total effect. Obligatory exercise behavior may have an indirect effect on eating attitudes through sociocultural attitudes towards appearance. Given the sociocultural information and pressures, in order to maintain or pursue an ideal appearance, many people tend to keep a pathological diet. Thus, forming a positive and healthy social aesthetic orientation is beneficial in helping obligatory exercisers to develop reasonable eating habits.

Background During childhood, parents are the first and most important individuals who form the base of the content of gender stereotypes in children. A parent’s expectations about the extent a child’s behaviour should be line with gender stereotypes also depends on the intensity of a parent’s sexism. A parent’s sexism may be exhibited in parental attitudes. Hence, in our study we analysed the relationship between parental ambivalent sexism and parental attitudes within dyads of mothers and fathers with a special focus on the role of the gender of both parents and children. Participants and procedure Two hundred and ninety-four couples of parents of five-year-olds (153 girls, 141 boys) participated. The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) was used to measure levels of sexism, and the Parental Attitudes Scale (SPR) was used to assess parental attitudes. Results In terms of the profile of parental attitudes, regardless of the child’s sex, mothers and fathers scored highest for inconsequent and demanding attitudes, and lowest for overprotective and autonomy attitudes. The child’s sex is also not important for the overall levels of parents’ sexism – fathers exhibit higher levels of hostile sexism in comparison to mothers. Only the mothers’ education level is important for levels of sexism – women with higher education exhibited the lowest levels of hostile sexism. The child’s sex moderates relationships between parents’ sexism and parental attitudes. In the case of mothers of sons, the intensity of benevolent sexism is negatively related to overprotective and demanding attitudes. The more educated the mothers of sons, the more demanding they were. For fathers of sons, the inconsequence attitude increases under the influence of both hostile and benevolent sexism. Among fathers of daughters, hostile sexism strengthens the overprotective attitude, while levels of both benevolent and hostile sexism as well as education influence the autonomy attitude. Conclusions The gender of both the parents and the child moderates the relationship between sexism and parental attitudes. The role of sexism in shaping the attitude of mothers towards sons is the most prominent – it seems that it guards the ‘manliness’ of young boys.

While there is a general consensus on the biological implications of health-related behaviors, there is little research on the implications of health-related behaviors on body-esteem in a nonclinical population of men. This study aimed to examine, using a multidimensional measure of health-related behaviors and controlling for body mass index (BMI), whether body-esteem in men can be predicted by health-related behaviors. Five hundred and sixty-one men between the ages of 30 and 45 years ( M = 35.42, SD = 4.41) completed the Body-Esteem Scale (BES), the Health Behaviour Inventory (HBI), and a questionnaire covering anthropometric measures including height and weight. Multiple regression analyses revealed that health-related behaviors (including positive nutrition habits, positive attitude, and healthy practices) significantly predicted body-esteem, R 2 adj = 0.05, F (5, 540) = 6.91, p < .001. The results are discussed in relation to healthy lifestyle promotion interventions targeting men.

Background: Participation in extreme endurance sports is becoming an increasingly popular activity, and thus more and more people are getting involved in it. Taking part in a 100 km run is associated with great physiological and psychological stress, which can affect one’s mood state. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine if personality, experience, and motives for participation are related to a runner’s mood and its changes as well as to investigate whether vitamin D3 supplementation influences mood 12 h before and 12 h after the run.Method: The study group consisted of 20 experienced marathon and ultramarathon runners taking part in a 100 km track run. All participants were males aged between 31 and 50 (M = 40.75, SD = 7.15). The group was divided in two equal subgroups: the placebo group and the group supplemented with vitamin D3. Personality traits were assessed using the Polish version of Eysenck’s EPQ-R 106 and mood states were measured twice (12 h before and after the run) using the Polish version of the UMACL by Mathews, Chamberlain, and Jones. Motives for participation in ultramarathons were measured with the IPAO by Lipowski and Zaleski.Results: Levels of vitamin D3 correlated very strongly with energetic arousal (EA) (rs = 0.80; p < 0.05) and strongly hedonic tone (HT) (rs = 0.74; p < 0.05) 12 h before the run. There were no significant correlations between levels of vitamin D3 and mood states after the run. Moreover, extraversion correlated moderately with tense arousal (TA) (rs = -0.48; p < 0.05) and EA (rs = 0.47; p < 0.05) while neuroticism correlated moderately with TA (rs = 0.53; p < 0.05) and HT (rs = -0.57; p < 0.05).Conclusion: Both personality and vitamin D3 supplementation are related to runners’ pre-run mood. These effects are nullified when it comes to post-run mood states.

Background As a conscious activity of an individual, physical activity (PA) constitutes an element of the free-time dimension. The type of goal allows us to distinguish between sport and PA: sport performance vs. psychophysical health – hence the idea to develop a tool for measurement of the motivational function of an objective in physical activity and sport. Participants and procedure The normalisation sample consisted of 2141 individuals: 1163 women aged 16-64 (M = 23.90, SD = 8.30) and 978 men aged 16-66 (M = 24.50, SD = 9.40). In the process of validation, a factor analysis, and subsequently validity and reliability analysis of the tool, and normalisation of scales were performed. Results Based on the factor analysis and the degree to which each of the given items conformed to the theory of the motivational function of an objective, the following scales were distinguished: 1) motivational value (the extent to which the objective influences the actions undertaken by an individual), 2) time management (the level of focus on planning, arranging and organizing time for PA), 3) persistence in action (efficiency and persistence of action, and the ability to deal with adversities), and 4) motivational conflict (the level of conflict: PA objectives vs. other objectives). The Cronbach’s α reliability coefficient for this version reached .78. The Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives (IPAO) also included questions that allow one to control for variables such as the variety of forms, duration, and frequency of PA, and socio-demographic variables. Conclusions The IPAO, as a new method for measuring motives for physical activity and sport, is characterized by good psychometric properties. The IPAO can serve both scientific research and as a useful tool for personal trainers, helping diagnose the motives for engaging in PA and sports. With knowledge about the purposefulness of actions, it is possible to support and shape additional motivation experienced by an individual, by setting new, realistic objectives.

Background Personality traits seem to be excellent predictors of starting, continuing and discontinuing physical activity. Moreover, they constitute an important determinant of health-seeking behaviors. Therefore, consideration of personality-related variables may be helpful in explaining either motivation of athletes or the goals they achieve. Participants and procedure The study included 1229 individuals, among them 532 active athletes and 697 persons with no history of competitive sporting activities. The group of sportspersons included 286 team sport athletes, 124 representatives of individual sport disciplines and 125 combat sport athletes. Results The athletes were found to have moderate levels of all analyzed personality dimensions. Multiple regression analysis showed that personality traits explained 46% of variance in the level of Positive Psychological Attitudes (F = 4.0, p = 0.009) and 36% of variance in the level of Health Practices (F = 2.7, p = 0.043) presented by female combat sport athletes. Personality profile explained 30% of variance in the level of Proper Nutrition Habits (F = 7.8, p < 0.001) and 40% of variance in Positive Psychological Attitudes (F = 11.2, p < 0.001) of male combat sport athletes. Personality profile explained 38% of variance in the level of Proper Nutrition Habits (F = 7.2, p < 0.001) and 30% of variance in Positive Psychological Attitudes (F = 5.1, p = 0.001) presented by men who practiced individual sport disciplines. Conclusions Our study confirmed that the personality super-factors are associated with health-seeking behaviors of athletes regarding proper nutrition habits, positive psychological attitudes and health practices.

Background Recently, at a time of frequent changes in the economic and socio-economic circumstances, knowledge acquired in the course of formal education is insufficient. Especially, the education system is still criticized for a lack of flexibility and strong resistance to change. Therefore, regular participation in various forms of training is required. Employee education and training are becoming an optimal answer to complex business challenges. The aim of this study was to determine which personality traits are responsible for the strength of motivation to undertake vocational training and other educational forms. Participants and procedure The study included 104 staff members of Polish companies (60 women and 44 men). The study used Cattell’s 16 PF Questionnaire and the scales of readiness to undertake training and further education as a measure of the strength of motivation (Kawecka, Łaguna & Tabor, 2010). Results The study showed that openness to change and tension (primary traits) had the greatest impact on the intention and planning to take vocational training. Additionally, the intention and planning to take vocational training were found to be associated with mindedness, independence, self-control, and anxiety (secondary traits). Such traits as rule-consciousness [G], social-boldness [H], abstractedness [M], and apprehension [O] (primary traits), were important in some aspects, which could constitute a background for further research and discussion of the results. Conclusions The obtained results lead to the conclusion that some of the individual differences in personality determine the motivation to undertake vocational training.

Background Physical attractiveness plays an important part in one’s social functioning. The interest in one’s own appearance have been documented as widespread among the female population, but over the recent years it is more and more often emphasized that concentrating on body appearance concerns men as well. Franzoi and Shields (1984) created the Body Esteem Scale which allows to qualify the subject’s attitude towards his or her own body. The aim of the study was to create a Polish version of the Body Esteem Scale along with the norms for age and sex clusters. Participants and procedure The normalization sample consisted of 4298 participants: 1865 women aged 16 to 80 (M = 29.92; SD = 12.85) and 2433 men aged 16 to 78 (M = 28.74; SD = 11.50). Education levels among the participants were also controlled for. In order to create a Polish version of the Body Esteem Scale, translation was adopted as the adaptation strategy. Like the original one, the Polish scale comprises 35 items grouped into three gender specific subscales. The subscales for women include Sexual Attractiveness, Weight Concern, and Physical Condition, whereas the body esteem of is examined with regards to Physical Attractiveness, Upper Body Strength, and Physical Condition. Results Reliability of subscales was high both for females (Cronbach’s alpha from 0.80 to 0.89) and males (Cronbach’s alpha from 0.85 to 0.88). The given coefficients of reliability cover the original division into subscales adopted by the authors of BES. Conclusions We confirmed high reliability of the Polish version of the Body Esteem Scale, thus we recommend it as a diagnostic tool. Created norms allowed to refer results obtained in the course of research carried out on people with various disorders (e.g. eating disorders or body dysmorphic disorder) with population data for corresponding age brackets.

Research indicates that life satisfaction declines with age, and cognitive abilities are gradually reduced—mainly attentional functioning and cognitive processing speed. Therefore, scientists seek to find protective factors and test possible intervention programs; moderately intensive physical activity stands out as particularly promising. In this context, we evaluated the influence of Nordic Walking training supported by vitamin D supplementation (as this nutrient is especially deficient in older people in Poland) on the cognitive and psychological functioning of elderly women. A total of 52 healthy elderly women took part in a Nordic Walking training program complemented by vitamin D supplementation. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the Trail Making Test and the D2 Test of Attention. Quality of life and severity of depressive symptoms were measured with the Short Form Health Survey and the Beck Depression Inventory 2. Significant improvements in all aspects of cognitive functioning was observed (p = 0.01−0.47). The study also showed a decrease in depressive symptoms (p = 0.026). Physical activity and adequate levels of vitamin D can be the key factors in maintaining self-reliance in old age. Involvement in Nordic Walking training, supported by vitamin D supplementation, can strengthen the cognitive functioning of older people—reflected in higher attentional capabilities, better executive functions, and improved cognitive processing speed.

Body weight and age constitute main determinants of body image in women. We analyzed the role of narcissism as a moderator of body image in young women representing various extremes of body weight.The study included 325 women between 18 and 35 years, qualified into three BMI categories: obese women (BMI > 30.0, n = 72), severely underweight women who did not satisfy the remaining criteria of anorexia (BMI < 17.5, n = 85), and women with normal body weight (21.7 < "ideal BMI" > 22.7, n = 168). Satisfaction with body image was determined with Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire and Body Esteem Scale, while narcissism was measured with Narcissistic Personality Inventory.We revealed that narcissism has significant impact on the body image of women who are extremely underweight or obese. Vanity and Leadership were narcissism dimensions which played significant role in slim women, as compared to Vanity and Self-Sufficiency in obese women.The role of narcissism as a modulator of self-satisfaction with one's body varies depending on BMI level: extremely underweight women and obese individuals constitute groups in which narcissism has the strongest impact on the self-satisfaction with body.