Effects Of Physical Exercise On Physical And Mental Health-Based on the Test of Mediation and Moderation Effect

Xiaomei Mo^*Wenlong Zhao

• Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China

Introduction: Health is not only a personal issue but also a social issue. China's 13th Five-Year Plan proposes to “develop sports, promote fitness for all, and enhance people's physical fitness”. In previous studies, scholars have examined the effects of physical exercise on physical and mental health. However, there is currently a paucity of research exploring the underlying mechanisms through which physical exercise impacts mental and physical health. Methods: In this study, 9954 sample data points from the 2018 China Labor Force Dynamics data were selected to verify the relationship between physical exercise, life satisfaction, and physical and mental health using Ordinary Least Squares regression. The Karlson-Holm-Breen method was used to test the mediating effect of life satisfaction in the effect of physical exercise on residents' physical and mental health, and an interaction term was used to test the moderating effect of social class in the effect of physical exercise on residents' physical and mental health. Results: We obtained four conclusions: first, there is a significant positive correlation between physical exercise and residents' physical and mental health. Second, life satisfaction partially mediated the effects of physical exercise on residents' physical and mental health, with indirect effects of 13.99% and 25.64%, respectively. Third, social class played a negative moderating role in the effects of physical exercise on residents' physical health(b=-0.014,p<0.001)and mental health(b=-0.072,p<0.05), i.e., the effects of physical exercise on residents' physical and mental health gradually decreased as social class increased. Four,The impact of physical exercise is greater on urban residents than on rural residents, and it has no significant effect on the mental health of rural residents. Conclusion: This study reveals a new mechanism by which physical exercise affects residents' physical and mental health through life satisfaction, and further explores the moderating role of social class, with conclusions similar to the resource substitution theory. In theory, it expands the application of resource resource substitution theory in the field of health research. In practice, it provides a basis for the government to continue to develop sports and promote health for all so as to better promote people's health and equality.