Description:
The physical, mental, cognitive, and health benefits of regular physical activity, exercise and sport participation are today well documented. Regular exercise positively influences most of our physiological systems and helps in protecting against, and rehabilitation of, several chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, numerous cancers, diabetes, stroke, and metabolic disorders (e.g., obesity). It also builds muscle and strengthens bones, preventing osteoporosis. In the elderly, it helps in maintaining balance, thereby reducing the risk of falls and maintaining independent living. This is particularly important as falls and related injuries are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in people aged 65 years and older. Exercise also helps to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression and buffers against stress. Moreover, there is good evidence to suggest that regular exercise maintains brain integrity and improves cognitive functioning across the lifespan. It has been suggested that, if exercise could be packed into a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine. Regular exercise appears to be a ‘magic bullet’ for human health and well-being. Physical inactivity or sedentary behaviour, on the other hand, is also an important cause of health problems in Western societies. The amount of sedentary behaviour we engage in on a daily basis (e.g., watching television, surfing the internet, reading, or playing videogames), independent of how much physical activity or exercise we do, predicts ill health. For instance, a large longitudinal Canadian study showed that those who sat a very long time in one block had a 50 per cent increase in mortality in comparison to those who sat for shorter periods in one block. This study showed a dose–response relationship (positive correlation) between sitting time (duration of blocks) and ill health, which was independent of the amount of physical activity people engaged in (Katzmarzyk, Church, Craig, and Bouchard, 2009). This suggests that the time we spend sitting and its distribution across the day is related to morbidity and mortality, independent of being less or more physically active. This is why many governments across the globe have developed campaigns to promote physical activity, exercise, and sports. In this chapter, we will demonstrate that social psychologists can contribute in important ways to reach these goals.
Description:
This study examined the relationship between educational year level, regional differences in adolescent girls' body image perceptions, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA) level, self-reported health, and dietary behaviour. Also, the role of PA behavioural regulation on body image was examined. The sample (N=732; Year 7 aged 12.23 years and Year 11 aged 16.18 years) included girls in Year 7 (n=489) and in Year 11 (n=243), recruited from 17 metropolitan and 14 rural schools in Victoria, Australia. Girls completed a self-report questionnaire. Novel outcomes from this study revealed year level and region differences in girls' body image perceptions, BMI, and health behaviours. Body dissatisfaction was associated with poorer perceived health, and health behaviours, such as low PA levels and dieting and external PA motivational orientation. Interventions are needed to promote positive body image and intrinsic motivation for PA to increase PA levels among adolescent girls living in metropolitan and rural regions of Australia.
Description:
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants face significant health risks as they adapt to new cultures. These risks are exacerbated by their limited participation in preventative behaviours such as sports and physical activity. The review aimed to identify studies that examined the correlates of sport and physical activity participation in migrants. The systematic review identified 72 papers, including 6 interventions, 18 qualitative and 48 quantitative studies. The 44 identified correlates highlight the complexities involved in working with migrants. The correlates were grouped in four themes using the social ecological model; acculturation, demographic, psychosocial and environmental/organisational. The social ecological model identified general correlates such as social support and safety. However, there were unique correlates relating to individuals who are facing cultural changes such as acculturation and language. Overall, there is a lack of contextualisation of CALD migrants' sport and physical activity experiences because many studies fail to consider acculturation comprehensively.
Description:
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants face significant health risks as they adapt to new cultures. These risks are exacerbated by their limited participation in preventative behaviours such as sports and physical activity. The review aimed to identify studies that examined the correlates of sport and physical activity participation in migrants. The systematic review identified 72 papers, including 6 interventions, 18 qualitative and 48 quantitative studies. The 44 identified correlates highlight the complexities involved in working with migrants. The correlates were grouped in four themes using the social ecological model; acculturation, demographic, psychosocial and environmental/organisational. The social ecological model identified general correlates such as social support and safety. However, there were unique correlates relating to individuals who are facing cultural changes such as acculturation and language. Overall, there is a lack of contextualisation of CALD migrants' sport and physical activity experiences because many studies fail to consider acculturation comprehensively.