Objective: The aim of this research was to study the mediation of body dissatisfaction, physical self-concept, and body mass index (BMI) on the relationship between physical activity and self-concept in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A sample of 652 Spanish students between 12 and 17 years participated in a cross-sectional study. Physical self-concept and general self-concept were assessed with the Physical Self-Concept Questionnaire (CAF), body dissatisfaction with the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and physical activity was estimated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). BMI was utilized as a measurement of body composition. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the results. Results: The resulting models showed good fit indexes. Final model for all participants explained the 17% of the variance of body dissatisfaction, 57% of physical self-concept, and 60% of general self-concept. Physical activity had a positive and indirect effect on self-concept ( β = 0.29, p < 0.01) and direct effects on body dissatisfaction ( β = −0.26, p < 0.01) and physical self-concept ( β = 0.20, p < 0.01). BMI had a direct effect on body dissatisfaction ( β = 0.31, p < 0.01) and on physical self-concept ( β = −0.10, p < 0.01) and an indirect effect on general self-concept ( β = −0.24, p < 0.01). However, it was only associated with physical activity in males, playing a mediating role between physical activity and body dissatisfaction. Conclusion: Physical activity can help individuals to achieve a positive self-concept and promote psychological well-being in adolescents through the improvement of physical perceptions and body satisfaction. The importance of BMI, body dissatisfaction, and physical self-concept on the configuration of the self-concept is also emphasized. Educational policymakers and Physical Education teachers should implement strategies to promote physical activity in the schools and provide a Quality Physical Education programs to increase physical activity during adolescence.

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The aim of this study was to assess the differences in body dissatisfaction (BD) of male and female adolescents by body max index (BMI) and the quantity, type and organisation of physical activity (PA). To do so, 652 adolescents aged 12–17 years participated in a cross-sectional study. The cognitive-affective component of BD was assessed with the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the perceptual component with Gardner’s scale for the assessment of, body image (BI). PA was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) and the item 1 from the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). The results show that sex and BMI are key variables when determining BD. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was moderately associated with a greater body satisfaction in males but no association was found between BD and the participation and organisation of PA. Moreover, the results suggest that participants in aesthetic/lean PA are at a higher risk of suffering from BD than participants in other PA types. These findings provide useful information for the design of programmes promoting healthy lifestyles, weight control and BI concern during the school period.

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El presente trabajo describe la propuesta e impacto de un programa basado en la aplicación integrada del Aprendizaje-Servicio (ApS) en el Modelo de Educación Deportiva (MED), en la creación de facilitadores para la transición de Educación Primaria (EP) a Educación Secundaria (ES). La muestra estuvo compuesta por seis docentes, 142 estudiantes de sexto curso de EP y 64 de ES. Se creó una red deportiva de centros según los preceptos del MED y se utilizó la red social educativa Edmodo para la coordinación de los elementos competitivos y el incremento de contacto social entre el alumnado. La percepción del alumnado y docentes se recogió mediante cuestionarios, grupos focales y autoinformes. Los resultados mostraron que docentes y alumnado percibieron que se consiguieron los objetivos en cuanto a los facilitadores para la transición, así como satisfacción con la metodología utilizada.

Título: Percepción del tamaño corporal e insatisfacción en Niños de 3 a 6 años: una revisión sistemática. Resumen: La imagen corporal es un constructo ampliamente estudiado, sobre todo en lo que se refiere a la percepción e insatisfacción con la propia imagen. La mayoría de las investigaciones se centran en la adolescencia y adultez, aunque los problemas de insatisfacción aparecen cada vez a edades más tempranas. Por tanto, el propósito de este estudio fue analizar los hallazgos más transcendentes sobre insatisfacción corporal y percepción del propio tamaño corporal en niños de 3 a 6 años (segundo ciclo de Educación Infantil). A tal fin, se usaron las bases de datos de Medline, SportDiscus, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Dialnet, ProQuest y EBSCO, de las cuales se seleccionaron 22 estudios, en base a criterios de exclusión como el idioma, la revisión por pares y la medición objetiva del Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) de los niños. Los resultados son diversos en cuanto a los niveles de insatisfacción, lo cual hace imposible establecer conclusiones acertadas sobre las características y prevalencia de dicha variable a estas edades. Entre las principales razones de esta dificultad destaca el tipo de instrumento empleado y las dificultades de los niños para percibir su cuerpo con exactitud. Palabras clave: Imagen corporal; Educación Infantil; insatisfacción corporal; percepción corporal; niños.Abstract: Body image is a construct that has been widely studied, particularly with regard to image perception and dissatisfaction. Though most research studies focus on adolescence and adulthood, dissatisfaction problems are manifesting themselves at increasingly early ages. The aim of this study was, therefore, to analyse the most significant findings on body dissatisfaction and body-size perception among children aged 3 to 6 (second cycle of pre-school education). To this end the Medline, SportDiscus, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Dialnet, ProQuest and EBSCO databases were used, and from which a total of 22 studies were selected in accordance with exclusion criteria such as language, peer review and the objective measurement of the body mass index (BMI) of children. In terms of levels of dissatisfaction, results vary widely, making it impossible to draw sound conclusions on the nature and prevalence of this variable at these ages. The main reasons for this include the type of instrument used and the difficulties children had in perceiving their bodies correctly.

La transición de Educación Primaria (EP) a Educación Secundaria (ES) es un periodo perturbador y de gran influencia en la trayectoria escolar de más del 50% de los estudiantes, con una disminución sustancial en la autoestima, la motivación académica y el logro académico, así como el riesgo de sufrir conductas de acoso y abandono escolar. Los sistemas desarrollados habitualmente para facilitar este proceso se han centrado en los procedimientos administrativos y de organización, cuando las investigaciones muestran que el proceso debería centrarse en los aspectos sociales y personales. En este trabajo exponemos cómo la utilización integrada de la Educación Deportiva y el Aprendizaje-Servicio puede configurarse como una potente herramienta para combatir los problemas derivados de este proceso de transición educativa. De esta manera, analizamos cómo la implementación conjunta de estos dos planteamientos permite contar con facilitadores de gran potencial en este proceso: tener conocidos que pasan con ellos de EP a ES, desarrollar el sentimiento de pertenencia, conocer a alumnos mayores y comprobar que son amistosos, realizar actividades de acogida que les ayuden a adaptarse y percibir que el centro les ayuda, y actividades en grupos reducidos donde puedan relacionarse estrechamente con nuevos compañeros.

Several studies have linked physical fitness (PF) with improvements in health, at a physiological and psychological level; however, there is little evidence of its relationship with health in the social field. Hence, the main aim of this study was to determine the existing relationship between PF and peer relations, as an indicator of social health in Spanish pre-teens. For that purpose, 642 participants aged 9 to 12 were chosen and given the high-priority Alpha Fitness battery in order to assess the PF, as well as the Classroom Social Experiences Query (CESC) to assess their social status. The results showed that those students with a better cardio-respiratory fitness obtained more nominations from their classmates in pro-sociality and positive status, and fewer in victimisation and negative status. Additionally, although to a lesser extent, muscular fitness was also related to a higher positive status and lower victimisation. The weight condition was also related to social behaviours, although the resulting data were differentiated by sex. While females with a standard weight stood out for their positive status, underweight males obtained worse results in positive status and fewer in negative status. These results all correspond with the aesthetic models imposed by society for females and males, respectively. These results show that PF is related to social health, which makes necessary the promotion of physical activity and the development of PF within the school environment, with attention to its relationship with the social health of the students.