Negative Physical Self-Concept Is Associated to Low Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Negative Lifestyle and Poor Mental Health in Chilean Schoolchildren

Abstract

Background: Evidence suggests that physical self-concept (PSC) is linked to well-being in children and adolescents. Objective: The objective was to investigate the association of PSC with mental health (i.e., depression and body image), physical status (i.e., fitness and weight status) and lifestyle (physical activity (PA) patterns and nutritional level) in Chilean schoolchildren. Methods: A total of 617 schoolchildren (n = 271 girls and n = 346 boys) aged 10–14 years participated in this study. Self-concept, depression and body image dissatisfaction were determined by questionnaires. Physical fitness, PA, screen time (ST), Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence and anthropometric parameters were also included. Results: Poor PSC was linked to bad cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) (<42 VO2max) (OR 1.64; 95%CI 1.12–2.34; p = 0.01), severe body image dissatisfaction (OR 2.51, 95%CI 0.99–6.35; p = 0.05), ST of more than two hours a day (OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.41–3.12; p < 0.001), PA after school of no more than two hours per week (OR 1.52; 95%CI 1.08–2.13; p = 0.015) and depression (OR 1.80; 95%CI 1.1–2.92; p = 0.017). High nutritional level showed an association with general PSC and general self-concept (p < 0.05). Absence of body image dissatisfaction was related to general self-concept (p < 0.01) and physical condition dimensions (p < 0.05). Conclusions: PSC is associated with CRF, PA after school, ST and nutritional level. According to mental health variables, poor PSC is related to depression in Chilean schoolchildren. Therefore, promoting a healthy lifestyle among children should be a target of community- and school-based interventions to promote PSC.

Relationship between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Executive Function in Young Adults: Mediating Effects of Gray Matter Volume

“…Throughout life, brain and cognition health among adolescents and young adults can influence academic achievement and overall health [ 1 , 2 ], which necessitates the identification of the predictors and modifiers of brain health at a young age [ 3 ]. Due to advances in the social economy, there has been a growing interest in the influence of lifestyle factors, such as regular physical exercise, in the promotion of a relatively high level of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and health (e.g., brain health) [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. CRF is operationalized by maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2 max) and is correlated with the functions of different physiological systems [ 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

The Mediating Role of the Muscle Quality Index in the Relation of Screen Time and Abdominal Obesity with Health-Related Quality of Life in Chilean Schoolchildren

“…Moreover, PA after school and Mediterranean diet adherence positively mediated the link between self-esteem and HRQoL; on the contrary, ST negatively mediated this relation [ 27 ]. In this sense, a previous study showed that high ST and bad food habits were related with poorer mental health; likewise, this study reported that physical fitness dimensions were positively linked with the absence of body image dissatisfaction [ 14 ]. Likewise, a cross-sectional study conducted in children indicated that excessive ST was linked with a high risk of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems; therefore, the authors concluded that it is fundamental to develop healthy lifestyle interventions [ 44 ].…”

“…Likewise, it has been indicated that healthy lifestyle was positively related with mental health (i.e., self-esteem) and HRQoL [ 27 ]. Likewise, it has been shown that bad cardiorespiratory fitness was linked with poor physical self-concept in Chilean schoolchildren [ 14 ]. Another study reported that cardiorespiratory fitness was linked with mental health, therefore promoting physical fitness may improve adolescent’s wellbeing [ 50 ].…”

“…Moreover, it has been indicated that a high fitness status, which includes muscular strength, is linked with improved HRQoL in Spanish students [ 48 ]. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that muscular fitness and cardiorespiratory fitness mediate the association between a healthy lifestyle (i.e., ST, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence) and body dissatisfaction; therefore, adolescents with better physical fitness may have fewer mental health problems [ 14 , 51 ] and better HRQoL [ 52 ]. Another study showed a positive relation between cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness with mental health and HRQoL [ 53 ].…”

“…Similarly, fitness has been shown to be powerful markers of health, including a greater well-being self-concept [ 14 ], and physical fitness has been linked to better HRQoL. In this sense, cardiorespiratory fitness has been positively associated with a higher score in the different domains of HRQoL; hence, it might be especially useful for improving HRQoL in children [ 15 ].…”