Body shame and exercise adherence intention: the moderating role of peer support and the mediating role of exercise motivation

This study used a two-wave longitudinal design to examine how body shame affects Chinese university students’ exercise adherence intention, focusing on the mediating role of exercise motivation and the moderating role of peer support. A total of 886 students were surveyed at two time points. Results showed that body shame decreased over time, while exercise motivation, peer support, and exercise adherence intention increased. Body shame negatively predicted both exercise motivation and exercise adherence intention, and exercise motivation mediated this relationship. Peer support buffered the negative effect of body shame on exercise motivation at T1 but not at T2. Overall, body shame remains a stable negative factor, underscoring the need to strengthen motivation and supportive environments.