AUTHOR=Shen Yifei , Niu Long , Miao Li 

TITLE=The impact of 15-minute fitness circles implemented in China on the public’s subjective well-being–an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1563722

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1563722

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=BackgroundCommunities are the main places where the public spend their daily activities, and suitable community environments can help improve their subjective well-being. However, there is still limited evidence on how fitness environments in communities affect the public’s subjective well-being. In recent years, Chinese governments have been created the 15-min fitness circle in communities to provide the public with convenient fitness facilities and venues. Whether this policy is effective in improving the public’s subjective well-being and the mechanisms that how this policy affects it has not been fully explored. To answer this question, we further focus on the mediating role of sports participation between the 15-min fitness circle and public subjective well-being.MethodsThis study utilizes data from the 2021 China General Social Survey (CGSS) to integrate the 15-min fitness circle, public sports participation, and subjective well-being into a unified analytical framework. A three-step regression model was used to analyse their relationship and the mediating effect of sport participation. And SPSS Macro PROCESS was used to test the robustness of their mediating effects.ResultOur research findings indicate the following: (1) the 15-min fitness circle has a significant positive predictive effect on the subjective well-being of the Chinese public (β = 0.080, p < 0.001), (2) The 15-min fitness circles have a significant positive impact on sports participation (β = 0.234, p < 0.001), and (3) sports participation serves as a crucial mediator in the relationship between the 15-min fitness circle and subjective well-being [Bootstrap 95% CI: 0.008, 0.019].ConclusionThe study concludes that community fitness facilities are of great relevance in improving the subjective well-being of the public. The results of the study provide empirical support for the rationalization of the 15-min fitness circle in China, and provide theoretical and practical references for other developing countries in exploring ways to improve the subjective well-being of the public.