Body self-esteem in physical education and sports students
Keywords:
Body self-esteem; physical activity; body image; body satisfaction; body dissatisfactionAbstract
Introduction: Body self-esteem has a significant impact on the emotional and psychological development of individuals, especially those who are in formative stages, such as university students. Those in studies related to physical culture and sport are usually more exposed to sociocultural pressures regarding physical appearance and performance, which makes their body self-esteem a relevant object of study.
Objective: To analyze the relationship between physical activity and body self-esteem in students of Physical Activity and Sports Pedagogy, considering possible differences according to gender and economic level.
Material and Methods: A non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted, using validated instruments to measure both body self-esteem and physical activity levels of students of the Physical Activity and Sports Pedagogy college career.
Results: Physical activity, at high or moderate levels, has a significant positive influence on body self-esteem, especially in men who reported greater satisfaction with their body than women. Women, on the other hand, showed greater dissatisfaction with specific parts of their body, such as the buttocks and muscle tone. In addition, this study showed a significant relationship between the level of physical activity and self-esteem, although no statistically significant correlation was found between socioeconomic level and body self-esteem.
Conclusions: Physical activity emerges as a key factor for the development of positive body self-esteem in students of physical culture and sports. However, gender differences and the persistence of dissatisfaction regarding the perception of attractiveness and sensuality point to the need for educational and intervention strategies that promote a more comprehensive and healthier self-image, especially among women.
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