Negative body image remains a key barrier to exercise

Karen Keohane, National programme manager, Us Girls

It was with great interest that I read your body confidence article last year (see HCM June 12, p50). Us Girls – a sports charity aimed at getting young women aged 14 to 25 active – launched in April 2011 to get 30,000 young women from disadvantaged areas more active by providing them with fitness and sporting opportunities within their local communities. As such, we fully understand the significance of body image as a barrier to exercise. The fact that the issue is still prevalent among women aged over 30 makes it even more important to resolve the problem in younger generations.

Negative body image is associated with low self-esteem, emotional distress and depression, as well as being a risk factor for eating disorders. Us Girls has recently commissioned its own research into body image, and the study confirmed that many young women do not take part in organised exercise classes because they are too conscious of how they look. While they acknowledge that exercise will lead to improved fitness and general wellbeing, they are struggling to break the vicious circle which a negative body image imposes on them.

The research also suggests that young women are more likely to exercise if they enjoy the activity and if they are part of a small group, with group goals to achieve. Us Girls has shared these findings with the sports industry and produced ‘how to’ guides to help organisations understand the issue and help remove barriers.