Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men

The reasons for exercising that are featured in health communications brand exercise and socialize individuals about why they should be physically active. Discovering which reasons for exercising are associated with high-quality motivation and behavioral regulation is essential to promoting physical...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Michelle L. Segar, John A. Updegraff, Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher, Caroline R. Richardson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Journal of Obesity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/354721
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849684667664433152
author Michelle L. Segar
John A. Updegraff
Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher
Caroline R. Richardson
author_facet Michelle L. Segar
John A. Updegraff
Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher
Caroline R. Richardson
author_sort Michelle L. Segar
collection DOAJ
description The reasons for exercising that are featured in health communications brand exercise and socialize individuals about why they should be physically active. Discovering which reasons for exercising are associated with high-quality motivation and behavioral regulation is essential to promoting physical activity and weight control that can be sustained over time. This study investigates whether framing physical activity in advertisements featuring distinct types of goals differentially influences body image and behavioral regulations based on self-determination theory among overweight and obese individuals. Using a three-arm randomized trial, overweight and obese women and men (aged 40–60 yr, n=1690) read one of three ads framing physical activity as a way to achieve (1) better health, (2) weight loss, or (3) daily well-being. Framing effects were estimated in an ANOVA model with pairwise comparisons using the Bonferroni correction. This study showed that there are immediate framing effects on physical activity behavioral regulations and body image from reading a one-page advertisement about physical activity and that gender and BMI moderate these effects. Framing physical activity as a way to enhance daily well-being positively influenced participants’ perceptions about the experience of being physically active and enhanced body image among overweight women, but not men. The experiment had less impact among the obese study participants compared to those who were overweight. These findings support a growing body of research suggesting that, compared to weight loss, framing physical activity for daily well-being is a better gain-frame message for overweight women in midlife.
format Article
id doaj-art-c12371784a0d4e1e903656874bd70b01
institution DOAJ
issn 2090-0708
2090-0716
language English
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Journal of Obesity
spelling doaj-art-c12371784a0d4e1e903656874bd70b012025-08-20T03:23:24ZengWileyJournal of Obesity2090-07082090-07162012-01-01201210.1155/2012/354721354721Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not MenMichelle L. Segar0John A. Updegraff1Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher2Caroline R. Richardson3The Sport, Health, Activity Research and Policy (SHARP) Center for Women and Girls, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1290, USADepartment of Psychology, Kent State University, 321 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44242, USADepartment of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, 3834 SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USADepartment of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, 1018 Fuller Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1213, USAThe reasons for exercising that are featured in health communications brand exercise and socialize individuals about why they should be physically active. Discovering which reasons for exercising are associated with high-quality motivation and behavioral regulation is essential to promoting physical activity and weight control that can be sustained over time. This study investigates whether framing physical activity in advertisements featuring distinct types of goals differentially influences body image and behavioral regulations based on self-determination theory among overweight and obese individuals. Using a three-arm randomized trial, overweight and obese women and men (aged 40–60 yr, n=1690) read one of three ads framing physical activity as a way to achieve (1) better health, (2) weight loss, or (3) daily well-being. Framing effects were estimated in an ANOVA model with pairwise comparisons using the Bonferroni correction. This study showed that there are immediate framing effects on physical activity behavioral regulations and body image from reading a one-page advertisement about physical activity and that gender and BMI moderate these effects. Framing physical activity as a way to enhance daily well-being positively influenced participants’ perceptions about the experience of being physically active and enhanced body image among overweight women, but not men. The experiment had less impact among the obese study participants compared to those who were overweight. These findings support a growing body of research suggesting that, compared to weight loss, framing physical activity for daily well-being is a better gain-frame message for overweight women in midlife.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/354721
spellingShingle Michelle L. Segar
John A. Updegraff
Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher
Caroline R. Richardson
Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men
Journal of Obesity
title Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men
title_full Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men
title_fullStr Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men
title_full_unstemmed Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men
title_short Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men
title_sort physical activity advertisements that feature daily well being improve autonomy and body image in overweight women but not men
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/354721
work_keys_str_mv AT michellelsegar physicalactivityadvertisementsthatfeaturedailywellbeingimproveautonomyandbodyimageinoverweightwomenbutnotmen
AT johnaupdegraff physicalactivityadvertisementsthatfeaturedailywellbeingimproveautonomyandbodyimageinoverweightwomenbutnotmen
AT brianjzikmundfisher physicalactivityadvertisementsthatfeaturedailywellbeingimproveautonomyandbodyimageinoverweightwomenbutnotmen
AT carolinerrichardson physicalactivityadvertisementsthatfeaturedailywellbeingimproveautonomyandbodyimageinoverweightwomenbutnotmen