Adults engaged in daily bodybuilding exercise demonstrated significantly higher self-confidence and more positive body image than non-exercising adults, though the direction of this association cannot be determined due to the case-control design.
Key Findings
Results
Bodybuilding participants demonstrated significantly higher total self-confidence scores compared with non-exercising controls.
Mean total self-confidence score was 148.37 ± 25.6 in the bodybuilding group versus 137.32 ± 26.7 in controls (p = 0.004).
Study enrolled 188 participants total: 94 adults engaged in regular bodybuilding exercise and 94 non-exercising controls.
Purposive sampling was used in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq, between August 2025 and April 2026.
No significant sociodemographic differences were observed between the two groups (p > 0.05), supporting group comparability.
Results
Significant differences between bodybuilders and controls were observed in several specific self-confidence domains.
Domains showing significant differences included social interaction, optimism, communication confidence, and appearance-related concerns (all p < 0.05).
Data were collected using a standardized Self-Confidence Scale.
Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results
Body image scores were significantly higher among bodybuilding participants, indicating more positive body image perception and lower appearance-related distress.
Mean body image score was 32.69 ± 7.6 in the bodybuilding group versus 29.70 ± 5.5 in controls (p = 0.002).
Body image was assessed using the Body Image Scale.
Higher scores were interpreted as indicating more positive body image perception and lower appearance-related distress.
Results
Logistic regression analysis showed that higher self-confidence scores were independently associated with increased likelihood of belonging to the bodybuilding group.
Odds ratio for self-confidence scores as a predictor of group membership: OR = 0.988 (95% CI: 0.976–0.999, p = 0.040).
Body image scores were also significant independent predictors of group membership: OR = 0.937 (95% CI: 0.892–0.984, p = 0.009).
Both variables remained significant predictors after logistic regression adjustment.
Discussion
The authors note that the case-control design precludes determining the direction of the association between bodybuilding, self-confidence, and body image.
The authors state that 'individuals with higher self-confidence and a more positive body image may be more likely to engage in bodybuilding,' indicating possible self-selection bias.
The findings 'indicate an association rather than a causal relationship' per the authors' own language.
The study design was explicitly acknowledged as a limitation: 'because of the case-control design, the direction of this association cannot be determined.'
What This Means
This research compared self-confidence and body image between Iraqi adults who regularly practiced bodybuilding and adults who did not exercise, using a case-control study design with 94 participants in each group. The study found that bodybuilders scored significantly higher on both a self-confidence scale and a body image scale than non-exercisers, with differences observed specifically in areas like social interaction, optimism, communication, and concerns about appearance. Statistical modeling confirmed that both self-confidence and body image scores were associated with whether someone belonged to the bodybuilding group.
However, a critical finding is that this study cannot tell us which came first — the exercise or the better self-image. This research suggests that people who already feel more confident and have a more positive body image may be more drawn to start and stick with bodybuilding, rather than bodybuilding necessarily causing those feelings. This is a key limitation of the case-control study design, which the authors explicitly acknowledge.
The practical implication is that there appears to be a meaningful link between regular resistance training and positive psychological outcomes like self-confidence and body image, but further research using designs that follow people over time would be needed to establish whether bodybuilding actually produces these benefits or whether people with these traits are simply more likely to engage in it.
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Jabor H, Skal B, Kareem H, Mottershead R. (2026). Self-confidence and body image among adults engaged in daily bodybuilding exercise compared with non-exercising adults: a case-control study.. Frontiers in public health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1894880