Body image attitude is closely associated with subjective well-being, emotional experience, and eating disorder symptoms. Exercise is a way that people often adopt to improve physical health and body shape. However, exercise does not always bring positive effects to body image attitude. For non-athletes, the motivation to participate in exercise is a key variable for their body image attitude. The level of body image satisfaction is generally decreased for those with a primary motivation to improve appearance, but increased for those with a primary motivation to promote health and physical function. As for professional athletes, elite athletes and athletes in sports which favor a lean body or low body weight are more likely to develop negative attitude toward their own body. Additionally, for some patients whose body image is seriously threatened by illness （e.g., breast cancer patients）, regular exercise could increase their body image satisfaction. The relationship between exercise and body image attitude among athletes, elite athletes, and special populations was reviewed in this study.

体像满意度与个体的主观幸福感、情绪体验和进食障碍症状等都有着密切的关系.运动锻炼是人们常用于改善体型的方式,然而并不是所有的运动锻炼都能带来积极效果.对于非运动员而言,参与锻炼的动机是影响体像满意度的关键变量,即将改善外表作为动机时,体像满意水平会降低;而将改善健康和提高身体功能表现作为动机时,体像满意度则会提高.对专业运动员而言,高级别运动员和瘦身材占优势项目的运动员更容易对自己的体像持有负面的态度.此外,对于一些体像受到严重威胁的特殊患者(如乳腺癌患者),有规律的锻炼则可以改善他们的体像满意度.该文对非运动员、运动员和特殊群体中运动锻炼和体像满意度之间的关系进行综述.