Exercise and depressive symptoms in Chinese adults aged 60+: self-rated health and wellbeing as pathways
In a 2023 survey of 2,233 Chinese adults aged 60 and over, more frequent physical exercise was associated with fewer depressive symptoms; self-rated health and subjective wellbeing statistically accounted for part of this association. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional survey analysis with mediation modelling (abstract).
- Population / context
- 2,233 Chinese adults aged 60 years and above surveyed in 2023.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 25, 2026
Survey of 2,233 Chinese adults aged 60 and over
The study used data from the 2023 Chinese General Social Survey and included 2,233 adults aged 60 years and above. It asked whether physical exercise was associated with depressive symptoms in this group and whether self-rated health and subjective wellbeing might lie on the pathway. The authors describe exercise as an important health-promoting behavior for older adults and depressive symptoms as a major psychological factor for quality of life and active aging.
Supporting source [1]
More exercise linked to fewer depressive symptoms
Physical exercise was significantly and negatively associated with depressive symptoms: higher frequencies of exercise participation went with lower levels of depressive symptoms. The analysis used multiple linear regression and serial mediation models with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Reported indirect shares were 40.5% through self-rated health, 9.7% through subjective wellbeing and 3.8% through self-rated health followed by subjective wellbeing. The total indirect effect was 54%, larger than the direct effect of 46%. These are statistical associations, not proof that exercise causes the change.
Supporting source [1]
Cross-sectional survey cannot establish cause or timing
The authors conclude that higher exercise frequency was associated with lower depressive symptoms, directly and indirectly through self-rated health and subjective wellbeing, and see potential relevance for mental health and active aging. They suggest policies and interventions may consider supporting exercise participation while addressing physical and psychological wellbeing. The abstract does not report a longitudinal design, so the direction of the associations and the proposed pathways remain open. The full text was not reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The abstract reports a cross-sectional survey analysis, so it cannot establish temporal order or causation, and the mediation shares are statistical, not causal. Exercise frequency, self-rated health, subjective wellbeing and depressive symptoms were not described in detail here.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Yuan R, Wu Q, Guo Q. · europepmc.org · September 25, 2026