"If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, Then Don't Say Anything At All": Positive Appearance-Related Commentary and Physical Activity

Background: Despite the well-documented benefits of physical activity, North Americans remain insufficiently inactive. Consequently, determining what motivates individuals to engage in physical activity becomes increasingly important. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the frequency of negative appearance-related commentary and positive appearance-related commentary could predict physical activity behavior. Methods: Participants were young adult women (N = 192) who completed a series of questionnaires to assess the frequency of appearance-related commentary they received and their physical activity behavior. Results: A hierarchical regression analysis indicated the overall regression was significant, F (4,187) = 4.73, P <.001, R-adi(2) =.07, Delta R-2=.07), with positive weight/shape appearance-related commentary (beta = 470.27, P <.001) significantly predicting physical activity behavior, while controlling for body mass index. Conclusions: Providing positive reinforcement via positive weight/shape compliments may be beneficial to motivate physical activity participation.