Sex differences in body-cathexis associated with exercise involvement

The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in body-cathexis associated with exercise involvement. Data were collected from exercising groups of 52 women and 23 men volunteers from a university fitness improvement class and from comparison groups of 41 women and 9 men volunteers from classes unrelated to exercise. Multivariate analysis of variance of prestudy body-cathexis scores identified significant sex differences; men had much higher body-cathexis for waist, hip, thigh, fitness, and weight than did women. Multivariate analysis of poststudy data, normalized to control for prestudy sex differences, yielded a significant effect for the exercise involvement of fitness class men and women. Regular exercise seems to have potential as a method for improving body-cathexis for both men and women. Further research on methods for improving satisfaction with weight is needed.