Cross-sectional associations between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for physical activity and body composition in adolescents with obesity.

BACKGROUND

Motivation is essential in turning the intention to engage in physical activity (PA) into consistent action, promoting healthier and more sustainable habits. This study aimed to identify the motivational factors associated with engagement in a PA program and examine the relationship between motivation and body composition in adolescents with obesity.

METHODS

Fifty adolescents (60.0 % boys); Median age of 13.6 years (IQR: 2.4); Median BMI z-score of 3.42 (IQR: 1.55) recruited for a PA program were included in this cross-sectional study. All participants completed standardized body composition assessments and an online questionnaire assessing five motivational domains: enjoyment and competence (intrinsic), and appearance, fitness, and social (extrinsic domains).

RESULTS

Fitness emerged as the main reason for engaging in the PA program (6.41 ± 0.81), followed by appearance (5.64 ± 1.43), enjoyment (4.98 ± 1.47), competence (4.55 ± 1.99), and social (3.79 ± 1.85). Enjoyment and competence showed significant negative associations with body weight. (  = -0.29, p = 0.045;  = -0.32, p = 0.027). Regression analysis identified fitness as a significant predictor for BMI z-score (β = 0.4, p = 0.027).

CONCLUSION

Extrinsic motives, such as fitness and appearance may drive PA engagement in treatment-seeking adolescents with obesity. However, intrinsic motives, such as enjoyment and competence, may be inversely associated with BMI z-score. Thus, targeting both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation may help to improve adherence and weight outcomes in obesity care. More studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these findings.