Abstract
BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity in girls is a well-known problem worldwide and can affect their self-esteem. Losing weight through physical activity and exercise can also have positive psychological consequences for children. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of exercise training videos on the self-esteem of obese girls aged 7 to 10. MATERIAL & METHOD: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 104 obese girls aged 7 to 10. Participants were randomly divided into two intervention groups (n = 52) and one control group (n = 52). The intervention program consisted of 8 weeks of exercise training, which was presented as educational videos and provided to the intervention group. Parents completed the self-esteem scale during both the pre-test and post-test phases. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). RESULTS: The results showed a significant difference in mean self-esteem (F = 2264.73, p ≤ 0.01) scores between the control and intervention groups after the intervention. After 8 weeks of intervention, the results indicated body weight loss (F = 630.17) and body mass index (F = 333.73) in the experimental group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Implementing an exercise program through educational videos positively affected self-esteem, weight loss, and body mass index in obese girls. The exercise program developed in this study may benefit families, schools, and educational and therapeutic centers.