![]() This has been used to advocate for more physical activity in schools, as well as in older adults to ameliorate or prevent cognitive decline. The argument that physical activity can positively affect cognitive functioning is a powerful one. Indeed, the association between physical activity and global self‐esteem is small (meta‐analytic effect size d=0.23) 2, but at the level of physical self‐worth or even body image these associations would expect to increase. It is likely that changes in global self‐esteem through physical activity will be from changes in aspects of the physical self, including improvements in skills and competence, body image, and physical fitness. ![]() However, the nature of participation will affect whether self‐esteem is elevated or even decreased. It is often believed that physical activity, such as sport, can boost self‐esteem. If we want more people to lead physically active lives, it may be better to avoid very high levels of exercise intensity. Such findings have implications for promoting physical activity. While more moderate levels often lead to the reporting of pleasure and positive mood, more intense forms of exercise may lead to displeasure, although such feelings will subside with time after exercise 1. While mood enhancement has been well documented, this can be dependent on the intensity of exercise undertaken. “Exercise makes you feel good” is a common assumption and refers to often‐reported psychological effects of single bouts of physical activity, such as walking or structured exercise. In addition, a wide variety of psychological outcomes have been studied, including effects on mood, self‐esteem, cognitive functioning and decline, depression, and quality of life. In the expanding literature on physical activity and mental health, researchers have addressed the effects of both single bouts and programs of physical activity. We should not be too prescriptive, therefore, concerning the types of activity we recommend for mental health. Some of the mental health benefits may be associated with doing something people “want to” and enjoy. It is also important to note that people have widely varying preferences for the types of activity they wish to engage in. While it is often MVPA and “exercise” that are considered to be associated with better mental health, we should not rule out the positive changes that can occur from lower down the continuum. Physical activity should be viewed as a continuum ranging from virtually no movement at all (e.g., sedentary behaviour or sitting time) through light physical activity (e.g., light ambulation) to moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity, MVPA (e.g., exercise, playing sports, cycling to work).
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