ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1672415
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovative Models for Community Health: Integrative Approaches to Public Health and WellnessView all 12 articles
From blueprint to practice: an innovative dynamic 9-box grid improves exercise participation and aerobic capacity in graduate students
Provisionally accepted
- 1Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
- 2Haikou No.1 Middle School, Haikou, China
- 3Anqing Normal University, Anqing, China
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Background：Graduate students face considerable health risks due to sedentary behavior and academic stress, often demonstrating a marked intention–behavior gap in physical activity (PA). This study developed a two-dimensional 9-box grid model based on total exercise volume (TEV) and aerobic capacity (AC) to compare the efficacy of weekly versus monthly feedback in improving AC and PA participation among graduate students. Methods：A quasi-experimental trial was conducted over 8 weeks. Thirty participants were stratified by baseline AC, evaluated via a 12-minute run test, and randomly allocated to receive either weekly (n = 15) or monthly (n = 15) feedback within a dynamic 9-box grid framework. The model incorporated weekly TEV (x-axis) and periodic AC assessments (y-axis). Primary outcomes included changes in 12-minute run performance and TEV. Secondary outcomes included scores from the Exercise Identity Scale (EIS) and the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale (SEE-C). Results：Significant group × time interactions were observed for 12-minute run distance (F = 4.29, p = 0.024, η2 = 0.241) and score (F = 6.49, p = 0.005, η2 = 0.325). The weekly feedback group demonstrated sustained improvements across all intervals (p < 0.001, Hedges' g = 1.16 - 1.78), while the monthly group improved only post-intervention. Weekly feedback also resulted in significantly greater gains in self-efficacy (p = 0.044, g = 0.77) and higher TEV scores at multiple timepoints (p < 0.05). Both groups showed improved exercise identity (p < 0.001), with no between-group difference. Center of gravity analysis indicated greater migration toward healthier grid zones in the weekly group (ΔG = -1.93 vs. -1.47). Conclusions：The dynamic 9-box grid model effectively enhances aerobic capacity, promotes physical activity, and strengthens psychological outcomes through dual-axis evaluation and closed-loop feedback. Weekly feedback demonstrates superior efficacy in sustaining behavior modification and facilitating tier progression. This model provides a replicable, theory-informed strategy for health behavior management in graduate student populations.
Keywords: dynamic 9-box grid, graduate students, aerobic capacity, physical activity, feedbackfrequency, exercise self-efficacy, transtheoretical model
Received: 24 Jul 2025; Accepted: 15 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Chen, Li, Chen, Wang, Zhou and Sun. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Aichun Li, lac105@163.com
Junlai Zhou, zjlzjut@126.com
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