| IntroductionObesity is the most common health | | | | improving mental well-being, including global |
| problem facing children today. It has been | | | | self-esteem.Sufficient evidence now exists |
| suggested that obese children have increased | | | | for the effectiveness of exercise in the |
| problems with self-esteem and depression when | | | | treatment of clinical depression and low |
| compared to the normal pediatric population. | | | | self-esteem. Additionally, exercise has a |
| Research in exercise and depression is | | | | moderate reducing effect on state and trait |
| persuasively showing how exercise may be | | | | anxiety and can improve physical |
| elemental in treating low self-esteem. | | | | self-perceptions and in some cases, global |
| Moderate exercise seems to be the most | | | | self-esteem. There is also good evidence that |
| effective intensity in reducing depression | | | | aerobic and resistance exercise (weight |
| and increasing levels of self-esteem. This | | | | training) enhances mood states, and weaker |
| literature review will illustrate what other | | | | evidence that exercise can improve cognitive |
| researchers have found and concluded in a.) | | | | function (Fox, 1999).One study which supports |
| finding a relationship between self-esteem | | | | the fundamentals of CHAMP is revealed in the |
| and obesity, b.) the effects of exercise on | | | | Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical |
| self-esteem, c.) studies on motivation among | | | | Fitness. In the study, 37 males and 28 |
| children, and d.) the need for more | | | | females participated in a 10-week exercise |
| research.Finding A RelationshipIn order to | | | | program. Participants were selected from |
| establish a relationship between obesity and | | | | existing classes forming weight training, |
| self-esteem, a Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale | | | | aerobic exercise, and activity control group. |
| was administered to 550 14 and 16 year old | | | | Results revealed change in physical |
| girls. Self-esteem scores were categorized by | | | | self-perception, strength, and body |
| weight and weight by height. Scores on the | | | | composition. Improvements in physical |
| Quetelet Index for Obesity were correlated | | | | self-perceptions and fitness occurred |
| with self-esteem scores. Mean self-esteem of | | | | independent of the exercise group. |
| the low-and-middle weight by height group was | | | | Correlations among the measures revealed |
| higher than the mean of the high weight | | | | relationships among physical |
| group. In analyzing weight alone, the | | | | self-perceptions, body satisfaction, global |
| self-esteem of the middle-weight group was | | | | self-esteem, and fitness (Caruso & Gill, |
| significantly higher than the self-esteem of | | | | 1992).Study of MotivationIn order to study |
| the high-weight group. The correlation of the | | | | motivation among obese children, a study used |
| obesity index and self-esteem indicated that | | | | a body video distortion method to compare |
| as weight increased, self-esteem decreased | | | | their body image with the body perception of |
| (Martin, Housley, & McCoy, 1988).In another | | | | non-obese peers. A standardized series of |
| study, the relationship between obesity and | | | | body size estimations were used: cognitive |
| self-esteem was examined cross-sectionally | | | | (what subject "think" they look like), |
| and prospectively over three years in a | | | | affective (what they "feel" they look like), |
| cohort of 1278 adolescents in grades 7 to 9 | | | | and optative (what they "wish" they looked |
| at baseline. Cross-sectional analysis | | | | like). Forty-one obese children (16 boys and |
| revealed an inverse association between | | | | 25 girls; average 12 years old) and 42 |
| physical appearance self-esteem and body mass | | | | age-matched control subjects compared |
| index in both males and females. In females, | | | | percentages of deviation from the accurate |
| body mass index was inversely associated with | | | | body image. The results showed that obese |
| global self-esteem, close friendship, and | | | | children were more accurate in estimating |
| behavioral conduct. In males, body mass index | | | | their real body width, but desired to reduce |
| was inversely associated with athletic and | | | | their body size by about 25% (Probst, Braet, |
| romantic appeal. These results suggest that | | | | & De Vos, 1995).The significance of exercise |
| low self-esteem may be an important factor in | | | | as a healthy related behavior has brought |
| preventing or reversing obesity (French, | | | | forth the need to address motivational |
| Perry, Leon, & Fulkerson, 1996).A study by | | | | problems associated with its adoption and |
| Strauss supports data from Martin, Housely, | | | | maintenance. In this respect, exercise |
| and McCoy. Straus's data demonstrates that | | | | psychology research would appear to provide |
| negative weight perceptions are particularly | | | | potential for guiding significant public |
| common among young adolescent white females, | | | | health initiatives. Cognitions about |
| which reveals that young obese adolescent | | | | self-perceived quality of life vary across |
| females show the lowest levels of | | | | the stages of change, with those who are |
| self-esteem. Nevertheless, negative | | | | least prepared to adopt regular exercise |
| perceptions of obesity also exist among | | | | reporting the lowest levels of quality of |
| adolescent boys. The data also demonstrates | | | | life. These finding suggests that |
| significant social consequences of decreasing | | | | cognitive-motivational messages designed to |
| self-esteem in obese children. Obese children | | | | emphasize quality of life benefits associated |
| with decreasing levels of self-esteem showed | | | | with exercise may be useful intervention |
| significantly elevated levels of loneliness, | | | | strategies for people who are less |
| sadness, and nervousness. Although these | | | | motivationally ready for change (Laforge & |
| efforts are not unique for obese children, | | | | Rossi, 1999).To remedy the localized problem |
| they are nevertheless quite important because | | | | of motivation, CHAMP has incorporated the use |
| nearly 70% of white obese females | | | | of one-on-one fitness specialists who act not |
| demonstrated decreasing levels of self-esteem | | | | only as instructors, but as mentors also.In |
| by early adolescence (Strauss, | | | | general, research has demonstrated that |
| 2000).Additional studies need to focus on | | | | engaging in exercise and physical activity |
| whether positive family or social | | | | significantly enhances mental health and can |
| interactions can alleviate the negative | | | | increase self-esteem. Extensive |
| psychosocial effects of adolescent obesity. | | | | |
| Strauss concludes that children with obese | | | | meta-analysis states that exercise has a |
| mothers, low family incomes, and lower | | | | positive impact on enhancing mood, |
| cognitive stimulation have significantly | | | | self-concept, and self-esteem. In addition, |
| higher risks of developing obesity, | | | | feelings of depression, anger, and anxiety |
| independent of other demographic and | | | | tend to dissipate after exercise (Greenberg & |
| socio-economic factors. In contrast, | | | | Oglesby, 1999).Need for More ResearchMany |
| increased rates of obesity in black children, | | | | questions still exist regarding the |
| children with lower family education, and | | | | combination of specific modes of exercise |
| non-professional parents may be mediated | | | | with different intensities and their |
| through the confounding effects of low income | | | | resulting productivity. Studies show that |
| and lower levels of cognitive stimulation | | | | resistance training is beneficial, but not |
| (Strauss & Knight, 1999).Effects of | | | | much is known on intensity and duration.The |
| ExerciseThe case for exercise and health has | | | | relationship between self-esteem and obesity |
| primarily been made on its impact on diseases | | | | has not received a great deal of empirical |
| such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and | | | | evaluation using strong research |
| obesity. However, there has been increasing | | | | methodologies. |
| research into the role of exercise in | | | | |