Body image and physical activity in British secondary school children

This study assessed the relationship between children’s body image and physical activity and examined any variation in these variables. Two hundred and seventy seven British secondary school children aged 11 to 14 (mean age ± SD = 12.5 ± 0.8 years) participated in this study. Results indicated no significant relationships between body image and physical activity (all p> .05). Boys had higher body esteem scores than girls (p< .01), black children had higher body esteem scores than Asian children (p< .05) and a significant school year by gender interaction (p< .01) indicated that as school year increased body esteem increased in boys but decreased in girls. Boys and high socioeconomic status children also reported greater levels of physical activity than girls and low socioeconomic status children respectively.