An empirical study of 15-minute fitness circles and the health of Chinese older adults-based on the mediating effect of physical activity.

Abstract

Background: The accelerating global aging process underscores the need for effective healthy aging strategies. Existing studies evidence demonstrates a significant positive association between physical activity and older adults' health. However, systematic investigations into the health-promoting effects of spatial intervention policies-and their underlying mechanisms-remain lacking. The 15-minute fitness circles, a spatial intervention policy aimed at providing accessible fitness facilities within a 15-minute walk, has been proposed as a potential solution to promote physical activity among older adults. This study aims to investigate the Health-promoting effects of the 15-minute fitness circles and explore the underlying mechanisms through which it influences older adults' health.

Methods: The data analysis in this study is based on the 2021 wave of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS 2021) data, with a final sample size of 3,516. First, we conducted descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation matrix analysis to characterize the core variables. Second, the stepwise regression method was used to examine the mediating role of physical activity in the association between 15-minute fitness circles and older adults' health, with bias-corrected bootstrapping (5,000 replicates) employed to verify the mediation effects. Finally, stepwise regression was used to test potential gender differences in the mediation pathways. Additionally, to further validate the robustness of the research findings, we reclassified physical activity into "active" and "inactive" categories for reanalysis. All analyses were implemented in STATA 17.0.

Results: The results indicated that 15-minute fitness circles demonstrated a significant positive association with older adults' Health. Furthermore, physical activity was independently associated with better Health outcomes in older adults. Mediation analysis revealed that physical activity significantly mediated 24.3% of the total effect between 15-minute fitness circles and older adults' health.

Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of 15-minute fitness circles in promoting healthy aging by enhancing physical activity among older adults. The results demonstrate that China's initiative not only addresses a critical research gap in the interdisciplinary mechanism of "public sports environment-physical activity-healthy aging" but also provides valuable insights for other developing countries aiming to improve health outcomes in aging populations. Furthermore, this study underscores the broader significance of such initiatives for health governance in aging societies worldwide, emphasizing the need for accessible public sports environments to support healthy aging.