Résumé
Body self-conscious emotions, comprising of appearance and fitness domains, are important contributors to physical activity, with nuanced associations depending on the specific emotion and activity modality. Adolescence is a turbulent period where body emotions are heightened, and the long-term impact of these emotions on physical activity is not well understood. This study examined the association between appearance and fitness emotions (shame, guilt, envy, embarrassment, authentic and hubristic pride) and physical activity modalities (moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity [MVPA], resistance training) from adolescence to young adulthood. Women (N = 124, Mage = 22±1.39 years) were participants from a longitudinal cohort study on adolescent body image and sport experiences. Body emotions were reported annually over four years in adolescence, followed by self-reported physical activity in young adulthood 4-years later. Latent growth curve models for each emotion during adolescence were estimated and used to predict women’s MVPA and resistance training. Higher fitness shame, guilt, embarrassment, envy; lower fitness authentic and hubristic pride at baseline, and greater-than-average emotional endorsement throughout adolescence, were significantly related to lower MVPA and resistance training in young adulthood (R² = .08–.22, p < .05). Appearance emotions were only associated with MVPA, demonstrating comparable directionality of effects but smaller effect sizes than fitness emotions. These findings demonstrate that body emotions during adolescence have long-term implications for physical activity, underscoring the need for prevention and emotion regulation supports during this period. Fitness emotions may be particularly important targets to promote engagement in both MVPA and resistance training in young adulthood.
