A new study by University of Florida has disclosed that fit and unfit share the same sense about their bodies, irrespective of the accomplishments of workout milestones.

The study was conducted by Heather Hausenblas, a UF exercise psychologist, and graduate student Anna Campbell, and is the first-of-its-kind to systematically analyze the wide-ranging effects of exercise on body image.

From Sciencedaily.com:

“Body dissatisfaction is a huge problem in our society and is related to all sorts of negative behavior including yo-yo dieting, smoking, taking steroids and undergoing cosmetic surgery,” she said. “It affects men and women and all ages, starting with kids who are as young as five years old saying they don’t like how their bodies look.”

The psychological advantages of exercise have been less explored, including the reduction of depression or confidence in body image, compared with the well-researched and understood physical benefits, she said.

The study found no difference in body image improvement between people who met the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines by exercising at least 30 minutes a day five days a week and those who did not, Hausenblas said. The guidelines are considered the minimum amount of exercise needed to receive the health related benefits of physical activity, she said.

This study was published in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Health Psychology.