Abstract
With the global population aging, there is a growing interest in exploring the role of physical exercise in enhancing the subjective well-being of older adults. This study aims to investigate how physical exercise influences the subjective well-being of older adults through perceived social support, physical health, and mental health. Additionally, it seeks to differentiate the impacts of varying exercise intensities and genders on subjective well-being. A total of 314 valid responses were obtained from older adults aged 60 and above in Luohe City through an offline questionnaire survey. Regression analysis was conducted using SPSS 26. to examine the associations between physical exercise, perceived social support, physical and mental health, and subjective well-being. Additionally, a mediation test was performed using the Bootstrap method. The findings show that Physical exercise was positively correlated with subjective well-being (β = 0.196, p < 0.01). Perceived social support (β = 0.094, 95% CI [0.052, 0.150]) and physical and mental health (β = 0.054, 95% CI [0.024, 0.097]) independently mediated the relationship between physical exercise and subjective well-being. Together, they constituted a sequential mediating pathway (effect size = 0.015, 95% CI [0.003, 0.039]), with the combined indirect effect explaining 60.9% of the total effect. Furthermore, the impact of moderate and high-intensity physical exercise on the subjective well-being of older individuals surpassed that of low-intensity exercise, but there is no significant difference between moderate and high-intensity. Additionally, physical exercise had a slightly stronger effect on the subjective well-being of older women compared to older men. In conclusion, this study elucidates the pathway through which physical exercise improves the subjective well-being of older individuals by bolstering perceived social support and enhancing both physical and mental health. These findings offer a theoretical foundation for promoting healthy aging.
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All of us in the study would like to express our sincere gratitude to the subjects who participated in this study.
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This study received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Tongren Preschool Education College (ethics approval no. TRYZ-RT-2024). The IRB confirmed that all procedures complied with the institution’s relevant guidelines and regulations. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.
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Yang, P., Xu, R. & Wu, L. The mediating role of physical exercise on subjective wellbeing in older adults. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52201-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52201-7
