Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Επιδημιολογία-Μεθοδολογία έρευνας στις βιοϊατρικές επιστήμες, την κλινική πράξη και τη δημόσια υγείαLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Fragkoulis Charalampos
Supervisors info:
Μπενέτου Βασιλική, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕKΠΑ
Φίλιππος Ορφανός, ΕΔΙΠ, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Αναστάσιος Φωτίου, Κοινωνιολόγος, ΕΠΙΨΥ
Original Title:
Η σχέση της σωματικής δραστηριότητας με την αντίληψη για την εικόνα του σώματος και το αίσθημα ικανοποίησης για τη ζωή σε μαθητές εφηβικής ηλικίας στην Ελλάδα
Translated title:
Physical activity in relation to body’s perception and life satisfaction among adolescent students in Greece
Summary:
Introduction: Although the benefits of physical activity for both physical and mental health are widely recognized, in Greece the percentage of teenagers who follow the World Health Organization guidelines for daily physical activity is below the European average. At the same time, adolescence has been linked with negative feelings of body image and decreased levels of life satisfaction.
Aim: To identify possible associations of physical activity levels with body image and life satisfaction among adolescents.
Methods: Data derived from the Greek arm of the international cross-sectional study Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) during 2018. Moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity were self-reported. Perception of body image was assessed by a subscale of the Body Investment Scale, while life satisfaction was assessed by using the 11-step Centril ladder.
Results: Teenagers with increased levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) had higher probability of increased life satisfaction on average by 83% (p-value<0.01) compared to adolescents who rarely or never were physically active. Accordingly, adolescents with an increased weekly frequency of MVPA had on average 54% (p-value <0.01) lower odds of identifying themselves as overweight or obese, compared to individuals with very low MVPA/week.
Conclusions: In this large sample of school-aged children living in Greece, higher physical activity was associated with higher life satisfaction and better body image. These findings could be used to increase adolescent awareness of the benefits of physical activity, promote further the incorporation of physical education in school curriculum and everyday life of children and adolescents.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Adolescents, Physical activity, Life satisfaction, Body image perception, HBSC
File:
File access is restricted until 2025-05-22.
Fragkoulis_charalampos_Msc.pdf
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File access is restricted until 2025-05-22.
