Evaluación de la imagen corporal de los miembros de los centros de acondicionamiento físico e intenciones de comportamiento: ¿podemos realmente lograr la retención de los miembros? (Body image assessment of fitness centers´ members & behavioral intentions: can we actually achieve members´ retention?)

Autores/as

  • Efi Tsitskari Department Of Physical Education & Sport, Democritus University of Thrace https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7289-577X
  • Maria Fragkou Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace (Greece), 
  • Kostas Alexandris Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Artistotle Univeristy of Thessaloniki (Greece)
  • Ourania Matsouka Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace (Greece)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v49.98121

Palabras clave:

fitness center, body image, intention, members (, centro fitness, imagen corporal, intención, integrantes)

Resumen

El concepto de imagen corporal es multidimensional y se refiere a la actitud de cada persona hacia su cuerpo y su apariencia. El objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar cómo los miembros de los gimnasios griegos evalúan su imagen corporal y si esta evaluación se diferencia en términos de género, edad e IMC. Además, el estudio tuvo como objetivo encuestar si la imagen corporal de los miembros del centro fitness puede predecir su intención de mantener su membresía en el gimnasio. La muestra de investigación consistió en 220 miembros adultos de gimnasios en una ciudad griega. Para las necesidades de esta investigación se utilizó la escala MBSRQ-Appearance (Cash, 2000), que incluye 4 factores: i) satisfacción con la apariencia (7 ítems), ii) inversión en la apariencia (12 ítems) iii) ansiedad con la apariencia y el peso (4 ítems) iv) autocategorización del peso (2 ítems) yv) satisfacción con las partes del cuerpo (9 ítems). El MBSRQ se ha adaptado previamente a una población griega con resultados de validez satisfactorios. Para la intención de seguir participando en un gimnasio se utilizó una pregunta basada en la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado: Volveré a utilizar los servicios del gimnasio el próximo año. Todas las respuestas se dieron en una escala Likert de cinco puntos. Para las necesidades de esta investigación, el cuestionario recopiló características demográficas adicionales de género, edad e índice de masa corporal (IMC) de la muestra. No hubo diferencias estadísticas en la evaluación de la imagen corporal según el sexo y la edad de la muestra. En cambio, surgieron diferencias en la forma en que los miembros de la muestra percibían su imagen corporal, y más específicamente en su “Autocategorización del peso” según fueran clasificados como “normales” en función de su IMC, “sobrepeso” u “obesos”. En cuanto a la intención de continuar con su pertenencia, puede ser predicha por el factor Satisfacción con las partes del cuerpo. Atraer clientes a los servicios de acondicionamiento físico debe dejar de centrarse en promover un cuerpo en forma e impecable, y alentar a las personas que subestiman su imagen corporal a aprovechar sus servicios.

Palabras clave: centro fitness, imagen corporal, intención, miembros de centros fitness

Abstract. The concept of body image is multidimensional and concerns the attitude of each person towards their body and their appearance. The aim of this research was to study how Greek fitness center members evaluate their body image, and whether this evaluation is differentiated in terms of gender, age and BMI. Moreover, the study aimed to survey whether fitness center members’ body image may predict their intention to maintain their fitness center membership. The research sample consisted of 220 adult members of fitness centers in a Greek city. For the needs of this research, the MBSRQ-Appearance scale was used (Cash, 2000), including 4 factors: i) satisfaction with appearance (7 items), ii) investment in appearance (12 items) iii) anxiety with appearance and weight (4 items) iv) weight self-categorization (2 items) and v) satisfaction with body parts (9 items). The MBSRQ has been previously adapted to a Greek population with satisfactory validity results. For the intention to continue participating in a fitness center, one question based on the Theory of Planned Behavior was used: I will use the fitness center services again next year. All responses were given on a five-point Likert scale. For the needs of this research, the questionnaire gathered additional demographic characteristics of the sample’s gender, age and Body Mass Index (BMI). No statistical differences of the body image evaluation occurred depending on the sample’s sex and age. Instead, differences emerged in the way members of the sample perceived their body image, and more specifically their “Self-categorization of weight” depending on whether they were classified as "normal" based on their BMI, "overweight" or "obese". As for the intention to continue their membership, it may be predicted by the Satisfaction with body parts factor. Attracting clients to fitness services should stop focusing on promoting a fit and flawless body, encouraging people who underestimate their body image to take advantage of their services.

Key Words: fitness centers, body image, customer intentions, fitness center members

Citas

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Publicado

2023-06-28

Cómo citar

Tsitskari, E., Fragkou, M., Alexandris, K., & Matsouka, O. (2023). Evaluación de la imagen corporal de los miembros de los centros de acondicionamiento físico e intenciones de comportamiento: ¿podemos realmente lograr la retención de los miembros? (Body image assessment of fitness centers´ members & behavioral intentions: can we actually achieve members´ retention?). Retos, 49, 270–278. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v49.98121

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Artículos de carácter científico: trabajos de investigaciones básicas y/o aplicadas