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Objective:
Body-esteem is an important indicator of the psychological benefits of physical exercise. To integrate inconsistent findings from previous literature, this study aimed to explore the reasons for the inconsistency.
Methods:
A meta-analysis was conducted to analyze 90 original studies published between 2008 and 2022, involving 98 independent samples and 29,251 participants.
Results:
(1) There was a significant positive correlation between physical exercise and body-esteem (r = 0.421, 95%CI [0.368, 0.472]), with a moderate effect size. (2) There were also significant positive correlations, with moderate effect sizes, between exercise duration (r = 0.386, 95%CI [0.235, 0.520]), exercise intensity (r = 0.355, 95%CI [0.227, 0.470]), exercise frequency (r = 0.405, 95%CI [0.291, 0.507]), and body-esteem. (3) Group type effects moderated the relationship between physical exercise and body-esteem (Qb = 8.088). (4) Exercise type effects partially moderated the relationship between physical exercise and body-esteem (Qb = 10.057), physical self-worth (Qb = 10.015), and physical attractiveness (Qb = 7.823). (5) Publication type effects were not significant (Qb = 2.795). (6) Exercise measurement type effects moderated the relationship between physical exercise and body-esteem (Qb = 10.304).
Conclusion:
(1) There is a moderate positive correlation between physical exercise and body-esteem. (2) Research characteristics, such as group type, exercise type, and exercise measurement type, can affect the relationship between physical exercise and body-esteem, with small to moderate moderation effects.
