The effects of physical exercise on college students' anxiety: mediation of body esteem and moderation by gender

The effects of physical exercise on college students' anxiety: mediation of body esteem and moderation by gender | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The effects of physical exercise on college students' anxiety: mediation of body esteem and moderation by gender Weijun Huang, Yuxi Liang, Junliang Zhang, Yixuan Deng, Luhuan Liu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4655330/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 3 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Objective This study investigated how physical exercise impacts anxiety levels in college students, with a particular emphasis on physical self-esteem as a mediating factor and gender as a moderating factor. Methods Data were collected from 1044 Chinese college students in a specific region using the Physical Activity Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Physical Self-Esteem Scale. Results (1)A significant inverse correlation was found between physical exercise levels and anxiety among college students.(2) Physical self-esteem served as a mediator in the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels, indicating that increased physical exercise enhances physical self-esteem, which in turn reduces anxiety levels. (3) Gender moderated the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels, with physical exercise being a stronger predictor of reduced anxiety in female college students than in male college students. Conclusion This research model offers a theoretical foundation for preventing and intervening in college students' anxiety and holds practical significance for improving their mental health. Physical exercise Anxiety Physical self-esteem Gender College student Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 1. Introduction In recent years, anxiety among college students has become increasingly prevalent, drawing significant societal concern due to its associated mental health issues.An epidemiological survey conducted by the World Health Organization across 21 countries found that anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health issue, with a prevalence rate between 11.7% and 14.7% [ 1 ]. Chinese college students, in particular, face unique pressures distinct from other demographics. These challenges include mastering academic knowledge and skills, developing intimate relationships, avoiding loneliness, experiencing love and fulfillment, and adapting to college life [ 2 ]. Given the unique causes of anxiety in this group, this study focuses on examining the current anxiety levels among Chinese college students. Physical exercise is considered crucial in managing mild to moderate mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety [ 3 ]. It is important to differentiate between physical exercise and physical activity. As noted by C.J. Caspersen, physical exercise encompasses any movement generated by skeletal muscles that leads to energy expenditure, whereas exercise specifically refers to a subset of physical activity that is intentional, organized, and repeated to enhance or sustain physical health[ 4 ]. This study focuses on physical self-esteem, which relates to body image evaluation, and therefore uses the term "physical exercise." Numerous studies have demonstrated that physical exercise significantly reduces anxiety. For instance, Peter Salmon found that physical exercise has antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, preventing stress-related negative outcomes [ 5 ]. Participants engaging in less physical exercise reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety disorders [ 6 ], and those inactive had significantly higher anxiety levels compared to regular exercisers. Engaging in physical exercise correlates with reduced incidences of anxiety and depression[ 7 ]. The World Health Survey indicated that low physical exercise levels correlate with increased anxiety prevalence [ 8 ]. Interventions promoting physical exercise and enhancing self-esteem have been effective in reducing student anxiety [ 9 ]. High physical exercise levels were significantly linked to lower anxiety [ 10 ]. The pandemic has seen heightened anxiety among college students, with decreased physical exercise contributing to negative emotions[ 11 ]. According to Dr. Junmin Yang, physical self-esteem pertains to an individual's emotional assessment of their own body or appearance[ 12 ]. Physical self-esteem, a distinct element of overall self-esteem, significantly impacts emotional and mental health [ 13 ]. Both definitions highlight that physical self-esteem involves self-assessment related to one's body. However, terms like physical self-esteem and body dissatisfaction are often used interchangeably. The main difference lies in survey tools: the Body Dissatisfaction Scale measures satisfaction with different body parts, while the Physical Self-esteem Scale focuses on positive or negative feelings about specific body parts [ 14 ].Numerous studies indicate physical exercise positively impacts physical self-esteem. Exercise improves self-esteem and physical awareness [ 15 ]. A survey of Chilean schoolchildren found a negative correlation between BMI(Body Mass Index) and factors such as maximal oxygen consumption, jumping ability, physical activity, and self-esteem, while self-esteem showed a positive correlation with physical activity[ 16 ]. Physical exercise positively affects adolescents by increasing and promoting self-esteem [ 17 ]. After exercise, positive impact, self-esteem, and anxiety levels significantly improve for up to four hours [ 18 ]. Physical exercise not only supports adolescents' physical self-esteem but may also reduce the risk of depression [ 19 ].Jinling's research highlights the relationship between physical exercise and physical self-esteem, noting that college students who regularly exercise have significantly higher levels of physical self-esteem, athletic ability, physical attractiveness, and perceived physical value than those who do not exercise regularly, with notable sex differences [ 20 ]. Tao et al. found that a single 90-minute exercise session is more effective in improving physical self-esteem than a 30-minute session, and a 16-week intervention is more effective than a 10-week one [ 21 ].Physical self-esteem also plays a vital role in anxiety. Domestic research emphasizes the influence of physical self-esteem on social anxiety. For example, Li found a significant negative correlation between physical self-esteem and social anxiety among female college students after a 16-week exercise intervention[ 22 ]. Other studies suggest a link between physical exercise, physical self-esteem and anxiety relief [ 23 ]. Fu et al. found that physical activity is inversely correlated with levels of anxiety and depression, and positively correlated with levels of self-esteem[ 24 ]. This study also examined gender as a moderating variable due to significant differences observed. Physical self-esteem exhibit greater motivation for physical exercise, whereas girls often face more obstacles in engaging in physical exercise [ 25 ]. Research has shown that generally report higher levels of social physical anxiety and lower physical self-esteem compared to men, and this pattern persists across different age groups [ 26 ]. In contrast, boys generally report lower concerns about thinness and physical anxiety, while placing greater emphasis on muscularity and self-esteem [ 27 ].Body mass index (BMI) was found to predict perceived physical attractiveness, social anxiety related to physical fitness, body image satisfaction, and self-esteem among adolescent females[ 28 ]. Physical self-esteem is a multifaceted construct where men and women differ significantly. Men's physical self-esteem dimensions typically include physical attractiveness, upper body strength, and overall physical condition. In contrast, women's dimensions often encompass sexual attractiveness, weight concerns, and overall physical condition. Men tend to have higher correlations among these dimensions compared to women, suggesting that women's physical self-esteem varies to a greater extent [ 29 ]. In summary, this study introduces a moderated mediation model (Fig. 1 ), wherein physical self-esteem serves as a mediator between physical exercise and anxiety among college students, while gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels in this demographic. 2. Research method 2.1 Subjects The participants in this survey primarily consisted of college students from Jiangxi Province, predominantly from Jiujiang University., supplemented by college students in other regions. A total of 1044 questionnaires were collected, including 439 male and 605 female. 2.2Research tool 2.2.1 Physical Exercise Scale (PAS) The scale used was originally compiled by Hashimoto Masao and revised by Liang Deqing, includes three dimensions of physical activity frequency, intensity and time, with one question for each dimension. There are three questions in total. Scholar Yujuan Hai also adopted this questionnaire in her survey, and her scoring method was as follows: the intensity, frequency and time of physical activity were multiplied, in which the intensity and frequency were calculated as 1–5 points on a 1–5 scale, and the time was calculated as 0–4 points on a 1–5 scale[ 23 ]. In this survey, the time of physical activity was calculated as 1–5 points on a 1–5 scale.The measured reliability of this study was 0.78. 2.2.2 Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) W.K. Zung developed the scale in 1971[ 31 ], comprises 20 questions and is known for its good reliability and validity. Responses are scored on a scale from 1 to 4,ranging from "never or occasionally," "sometimes," "often," to "continuous." A higher score indicates a higher level of anxiety. In this study, the scale demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.97. 2.2.3 Physical Self-esteem Scale (PSS) In this study, the Body Self-Esteem Scale, revised by scholar Xu Xia in 2001, was selected. Reliability and validity tests showed that the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the main scale and subscales ranged between 0.72 and 0.84,demonstrating the scale's strong validity and reliability[ 30 ]. The questionnaire consists of 30 questions, ranging from completely no to completely yes. These include forward scoring questions, where a complete non-match is scored 1 point and a complete match is scored 4 points, and reverse scoring questions, where a complete non-match is scored 4 points and a complete match is scored 1 point.The measured reliability of this study was 0.93. 3. Result analysis 3.1 Common method deviation Because all of the data included in this research was self-reported, typical method bias may have been introduced. Harman's single factor test was used to address this Six factors with eigenvalues greater than one were found by the test, and the first common factor explained 38.37% of the variance in total. Consequently, this study did not exhibit common technique bias. 3.2 Correlation analysis among variables Table 1 Descriptive Statistical Results and Correlation Analysis Among Variables (N = 1044) Variable M SD 1 2 3 1.Physical exercise 7.96 3.30 1 2.Physical self-esteem 71.81 17.20 0.697** 1 3.Anxiety 38.94 16.37 −0.410** −0.528** 1 Note:** p < 0.01 The statistical results showed that physical exercise was positively correlated with physical self-esteem and negatively correlated with anxiety. Additionally, physical self-esteem and anxiety were significantly negatively correlated. Table 1 displays each variable's mean and standard deviation.These results indicate a close correlation between the variables, warranting further analysis. 3.3 Moderated mediation effect test Table 2 Regression Analysis of the Mediating Role of Body Self-esteem and the Moderating Role of Gender Variable Overall fit index 95%CI Result Predict R 2 F β LLCI ULCI t Anxiety Physical exercise 3.30 111.57*** −0.08 −0.16 −0.10 −2.13* Physical self-esteem −0.48 −0.55 −0.41 −13.25*** Gender 0.06 0.01 0.11 2.19* Physical exercise*gender −0.14 −0.19 −0.08 −4.85*** Note:* p < 0.05,*** p < 0.01 For the purpose of learning more about how physical exercise affects anxiety in college students, as well as how gender and physical self-esteem function as mediators and moderators, this study utilized Model 5 of the SPSS macro program PROCESS to evaluate this hypothesis model. The regression analysis results (as shown in Table 2 ) indicated that both physical exercise and physical self-esteem had significant negative effects on college students' anxiety ( β =-0.08, p < 0.05; β = -0.48, p < 0.001), establishing the mediating effect of physical self-esteem. Additionally, the interaction term between physical self-esteem and gender significantly affected college students' anxiety ( β = -0.14, p < 0.001), suggesting that gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety. The simple slope analysis (Fig. 2 ) reveals that as the level of physical exercise increases, the anxiety levels of college students decrease. However, the significant predictive effect of physical exercise on anxiety is notably stronger for female students compared to male students. This indicates that the impact of physical exercise on reducing anxiety is higher for female college students than for their male counterparts. In other words, The association between college students' anxiety levels and physical exercise is mediated by their gender. 4. Discussion A chain mediation model was created in this study to investigate the internal mechanisms and individual variations in the ways that physical exercise affects anxiety in college students. This model examines the ways in which gender and physical self-esteem function as mediators between anxiety and physical exercise. The results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms behind anxiety and how physical exercise affects anxiety levels. Furthermore, the findings offer factual support and suggestions for averting worry and preserving college students' mental health. 4.1 Influence of physical exercise on anxiety of college students This study demonstrates a significant negative correlation between the level of physical exercise and anxiety, aligning with previous research and reinforcing the view that moderate physical exercise helps alleviate anxiety symptoms [ 32 – 34 ]. While this study examined anxiety as an overall dimension rather than refining it into specific variables, the results clearly show that increased physical exercise is associated with lower anxiety levels. Moderate physical exercise can relieve anxiety symptoms by reducing stress, improving mood, and enhancing self-confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, physical exercise promotes overall physical health, strengthens immunity, and reduces the risk of diseases, which can further decrease the likelihood of anxiety[ 35 ]. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage and promote physical exercise among college students to improve their physical exercise levels and awareness. 4.2 The mediating effect of physical self-esteem and the moderating effect of gender Building upon previous research and societal observations, through the perspective of physical self-esteem, this study investigates the process by which exercise affects anxiety levels among college students.The results suggest that anxiety levels and physical exercise are mediated by physical self-esteem. The term "physical self-esteem" describes how someone feels about their looks or body, whether positively or negatively. Higher physical self-esteem can enhance self-confidence and psychological resilience, thereby reducing anxiety levels[ 36 – 37 ]. This aligns with the findings of scholars like Tikac et al. (2022), who have demonstrated that regular physical exercise significantly improves young people's physical self-esteem and overall mental health[ 4 ].The study establishes a mediating model where the effect is realized through "physical exercise → physical self-esteem → anxiety levels". Physical exercise impacts college students' anxiety levels, with physical self-esteem playing a crucial mediating role. Engaging in appropriate physical exercise can enhance college students' physical self-esteem, which in turn leads to reduced anxiety levels. Therefore, alongside low-intensity physical exercise, it is recommended that college students consider moderate physical exercise that promote self-esteem and mental well-being, such as swimming, jogging, and dancing [ 38 ]. The study further conducted a simple slope analysis and discovered that college students' anxiety levels dropped as their physical exercise levels rose. Importantly, this effect was significantly more pronounced for women compared to men in terms of gender. Specifically, the predictive impact of physical exercise on anxiety levels was greater for female college students than for their male counterparts, indicating that gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels among college students[ 39 ]. This underscores the need to consider gender differences when designing intervention strategies, and to implement personalized interventions tailored to different gender groups [ 26 ].Exercise professionals should be mindful of the challenges young women may encounter in engaging in physical exercise and should offer personalized strategies to address them. For instance, since women are more susceptible to social physical anxiety, interventions that focus on enhancing physical self-esteem and promoting positive body image education could effectively reduce anxiety levels [ 40 ]. Moreover, studies have shown that gender differences also influence the relationship between physical exercise and depression, with anxiety often co-occurring with depression [ 19 ]. These findings can be applied practically in mental health prevention among college students.Addressing the varying anxiety sensitivities between genders can inform strategies to promote physical exercise participation and narrow gender disparities. Interventions aimed at reducing anxiety sensitivity may encourage greater physical exercise engagement, thereby fostering better mental health outcomes and narrowing existing gender gaps [ 41 ]. Developing tailored coping strategies based on statistically significant gender differences can effectively mitigate anxiety levels and promote overall mental well-being among college students. In summary, this study reveals that physical exercise impacts college students' anxiety levels indirectly through body self-esteem, with gender playing a moderating role. Specifically, the effect of physical exercise on reducing anxiety is significantly more pronounced among female college students compared to their male counterparts.This finding underscores that physical exercise may be more effective in alleviating anxiety among female students than male students. These results align with previous research suggesting gender-related differences in emotional responses to specific sports, where women often experience greater improvements[ 42 ]. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these gender differences warrant further investigation in future research. 5. Shortcomings and prospects of this study First, This study primarily focuses on a sample of college students from a specific region and may not be fully representative of college students in other regions or cultural backgrounds.The sample size could be increased in subsequent studies to improve the results' generalizability.Additionally, this study's cross-sectional design allows it to only identify relationships between variables; it cannot prove causation.Follow-up studies could be designed longitudinally to explore more deeply the long-term effects of physical exercise on anxiety levels. Finally, to create a more complete theoretical model, future research can examine additional potential mediating and moderating factors, such as social support, self-efficacy, psychological resilience, and more, in addition to physical self-esteem and gender. 6. Conclusion (1)There is a significant negative correlation between college students' levels of physical exercise and their anxiety levels. (2)Physical self-esteem acts as a mediator in the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels among college students, with physical exercise influencing anxiety levels both directly and indirectly through its effect on physical self-esteem. (3)Gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels among college students, with the impact of physical exercise on reducing anxiety being more pronounced among female college students compared to male college students. Declarations Conflict of interest The authors state that the study was conducted without any business or financial relationship, which could be interpreted as a potential conflict of interest. Funding The author(s) claims to have received financial support in the course of researching, writing and/or publishing this article.This study was backed by the Project of Jiangxi Province's Education Science 14th Five Year Plan[21YB200]. 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Regular exercise improves the levels of self-efficacy, self-esteem and body awareness of young adults. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2022;62(1):157–61. 10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12143-7 . Wut TM, Lee SW, Xu JB. Mental health of working adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does physical activity level matter? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(4):2961. 10.3390/ijerph20042961 . Rosselli M, Ermini E, Tosi B, Boddi M, Stefani L, Toncelli L, Modesti PA. Gender differences in barriers to physical activity among adolescents. Nutr Metabolism Cardiovasc Dis. 2020;30(9):1582–9. 10.1016/j.numecd.2020.05.005 . DeWolfe CEJ, Watt MC, Romero-Sanchiz P, Stewart SH. Gender differences in physical activity are partially explained by anxiety sensitivity in post-secondary students. J Am Coll Health. 2020;68(3):219–22. 10.1080/07448481.2018.1549048 . McDowell CP, Campbell MJ, Herring MP. Sex-related differences in mood responses to acute aerobic exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(9):1798–802. 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000969 . Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editor assigned by journal 04 Jul, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 02 Jul, 2024 First submitted to journal 28 Jun, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4655330","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":323282450,"identity":"ba5e0e00-2de2-4494-b778-d7d7cf76588f","order_by":0,"name":"Weijun Huang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAyklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACfvbmgw8+/LCptz/eQKQWyZ5jyYYze9ISGM4cIFKLwY0cNWketsMJDDcSiHXZjRw2aR4e5jzGmY833mCosYkmqIOx5+1hyzkWbMXM0mnFFgzH0nIbCGlhZs9LvPGGh4exTTrHTIKx4TBhLWwMOQYSPGwSjD2SZ4jUwsORYyTJw2aQOEOCh0gtEjzgQE4wNuAB+iWBGL/YHwdH5X85A/bDG298qLEhrAUZGEgkkKIcooVUHaNgFIyCUTAyAAB0PkABRvyiOAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Jiujiang University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Weijun","middleName":"","lastName":"Huang","suffix":""},{"id":323282454,"identity":"442463e8-9b7a-4f4e-b895-f60159be5bfe","order_by":1,"name":"Yuxi Liang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiujiang University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuxi","middleName":"","lastName":"Liang","suffix":""},{"id":323282455,"identity":"9f69d86c-d54e-4e6b-8f5d-877ae3485678","order_by":2,"name":"Junliang Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Nanchang Hangkong University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Junliang","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhang","suffix":""},{"id":323282458,"identity":"6921feac-5ccd-445e-ab68-c311753b6074","order_by":3,"name":"Yixuan Deng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Nanchang Hangkong University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yixuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Deng","suffix":""},{"id":323282465,"identity":"90db6fb5-4ad8-45e7-acc7-66d4cf248fd1","order_by":4,"name":"Luhuan Liu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiujiang University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Luhuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-06-28 14:12:48","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4655330/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4655330/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":61012109,"identity":"f88d4915-9446-4ddb-928f-9e21196f7653","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-07-24 14:45:33","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":24204,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ea moderated mediation model\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4655330/v1/eb5436e628acd62908709bcd.png"},{"id":61012110,"identity":"98fd922c-1f94-46f7-aa2b-c7cbddfc381d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-07-24 14:45:33","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":10692,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSlope diagram of adjustment effect\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4655330/v1/958096913dadbe7156b2d6bb.png"},{"id":61013058,"identity":"56f0366a-2f73-4a03-a11c-085190aa5ce2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-07-24 14:53:33","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":512394,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4655330/v1/8df84f38-5cf5-437e-a85d-3c808a96198c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The effects of physical exercise on college students' anxiety: mediation of body esteem and moderation by gender","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn recent years, anxiety among college students has become increasingly prevalent, drawing significant societal concern due to its associated mental health issues.An epidemiological survey conducted by the World Health Organization across 21 countries found that anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health issue, with a prevalence rate between 11.7% and 14.7% [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. Chinese college students, in particular, face unique pressures distinct from other demographics. These challenges include mastering academic knowledge and skills, developing intimate relationships, avoiding loneliness, experiencing love and fulfillment, and adapting to college life [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Given the unique causes of anxiety in this group, this study focuses on examining the current anxiety levels among Chinese college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical exercise is considered crucial in managing mild to moderate mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. It is important to differentiate between physical exercise and physical activity. As noted by C.J. Caspersen, physical exercise encompasses any movement generated by skeletal muscles that leads to energy expenditure, whereas exercise specifically refers to a subset of physical activity that is intentional, organized, and repeated to enhance or sustain physical health[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. This study focuses on physical self-esteem, which relates to body image evaluation, and therefore uses the term \"physical exercise.\" Numerous studies have demonstrated that physical exercise significantly reduces anxiety. For instance, Peter Salmon found that physical exercise has antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, preventing stress-related negative outcomes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Participants engaging in less physical exercise reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety disorders [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e], and those inactive had significantly higher anxiety levels compared to regular exercisers. Engaging in physical exercise correlates with reduced incidences of anxiety and depression[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. The World Health Survey indicated that low physical exercise levels correlate with increased anxiety prevalence [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Interventions promoting physical exercise and enhancing self-esteem have been effective in reducing student anxiety [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. High physical exercise levels were significantly linked to lower anxiety [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. The pandemic has seen heightened anxiety among college students, with decreased physical exercise contributing to negative emotions[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to Dr. Junmin Yang, physical self-esteem pertains to an individual's emotional assessment of their own body or appearance[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. Physical self-esteem, a distinct element of overall self-esteem, significantly impacts emotional and mental health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. Both definitions highlight that physical self-esteem involves self-assessment related to one's body. However, terms like physical self-esteem and body dissatisfaction are often used interchangeably. The main difference lies in survey tools: the Body Dissatisfaction Scale measures satisfaction with different body parts, while the Physical Self-esteem Scale focuses on positive or negative feelings about specific body parts [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e].Numerous studies indicate physical exercise positively impacts physical self-esteem. Exercise improves self-esteem and physical awareness [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. A survey of Chilean schoolchildren found a negative correlation between BMI(Body Mass Index) and factors such as maximal oxygen consumption, jumping ability, physical activity, and self-esteem, while self-esteem showed a positive correlation with physical activity[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Physical exercise positively affects adolescents by increasing and promoting self-esteem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. After exercise, positive impact, self-esteem, and anxiety levels significantly improve for up to four hours [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. Physical exercise not only supports adolescents' physical self-esteem but may also reduce the risk of depression [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e].Jinling's research highlights the relationship between physical exercise and physical self-esteem, noting that college students who regularly exercise have significantly higher levels of physical self-esteem, athletic ability, physical attractiveness, and perceived physical value than those who do not exercise regularly, with notable sex differences [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. Tao et al. found that a single 90-minute exercise session is more effective in improving physical self-esteem than a 30-minute session, and a 16-week intervention is more effective than a 10-week one [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e].Physical self-esteem also plays a vital role in anxiety. Domestic research emphasizes the influence of physical self-esteem on social anxiety. For example, Li found a significant negative correlation between physical self-esteem and social anxiety among female college students after a 16-week exercise intervention[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Other studies suggest a link between physical exercise, physical self-esteem and anxiety relief [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. Fu et al. found that physical activity is inversely correlated with levels of anxiety and depression, and positively correlated with levels of self-esteem[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study also examined gender as a moderating variable due to significant differences observed. Physical self-esteem exhibit greater motivation for physical exercise, whereas girls often face more obstacles in engaging in physical exercise [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. Research has shown that generally report higher levels of social physical anxiety and lower physical self-esteem compared to men, and this pattern persists across different age groups [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. In contrast, boys generally report lower concerns about thinness and physical anxiety, while placing greater emphasis on muscularity and self-esteem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e].Body mass index (BMI) was found to predict perceived physical attractiveness, social anxiety related to physical fitness, body image satisfaction, and self-esteem among adolescent females[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. Physical self-esteem is a multifaceted construct where men and women differ significantly. Men's physical self-esteem dimensions typically include physical attractiveness, upper body strength, and overall physical condition. In contrast, women's dimensions often encompass sexual attractiveness, weight concerns, and overall physical condition. Men tend to have higher correlations among these dimensions compared to women, suggesting that women's physical self-esteem varies to a greater extent [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summary, this study introduces a moderated mediation model (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e), wherein physical self-esteem serves as a mediator between physical exercise and anxiety among college students, while gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels in this demographic.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Research method","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 Subjects\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe participants in this survey primarily consisted of college students from Jiangxi Province, predominantly from Jiujiang University., supplemented by college students in other regions. A total of 1044 questionnaires were collected, including 439 male and 605 female.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2Research tool\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.1 Physical Exercise Scale (PAS)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe scale used was originally compiled by Hashimoto Masao and revised by Liang Deqing, includes three dimensions of physical activity frequency, intensity and time, with one question for each dimension. There are three questions in total. Scholar Yujuan Hai also adopted this questionnaire in her survey, and her scoring method was as follows: the intensity, frequency and time of physical activity were multiplied, in which the intensity and frequency were calculated as 1\u0026ndash;5 points on a 1\u0026ndash;5 scale, and the time was calculated as 0\u0026ndash;4 points on a 1\u0026ndash;5 scale[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. In this survey, the time of physical activity was calculated as 1\u0026ndash;5 points on a 1\u0026ndash;5 scale.The measured reliability of this study was 0.78.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.2 Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eW.K. Zung developed the scale in 1971[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e], comprises 20 questions and is known for its good reliability and validity. Responses are scored on a scale from 1 to 4,ranging from \"never or occasionally,\" \"sometimes,\" \"often,\" to \"continuous.\" A higher score indicates a higher level of anxiety. In this study, the scale demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.97.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.3 Physical Self-esteem Scale (PSS)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, the Body Self-Esteem Scale, revised by scholar Xu Xia in 2001, was selected. Reliability and validity tests showed that the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the main scale and subscales ranged between 0.72 and 0.84,demonstrating the scale's strong validity and reliability[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]. The questionnaire consists of 30 questions, ranging from completely no to completely yes. These include forward scoring questions, where a complete non-match is scored 1 point and a complete match is scored 4 points, and reverse scoring questions, where a complete non-match is scored 4 points and a complete match is scored 1 point.The measured reliability of this study was 0.93.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Result analysis","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Common method deviation\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBecause all of the data included in this research was self-reported, typical method bias may have been introduced. Harman's single factor test was used to address this Six factors with eigenvalues greater than one were found by the test, and the first common factor explained 38.37% of the variance in total. Consequently, this study did not exhibit common technique bias.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Correlation analysis among variables\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive Statistical Results and Correlation Analysis Among Variables (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1044)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSD\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.Physical exercise\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.96\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.Physical self-esteem\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e71.81\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.697**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.Anxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.410**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.528**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003eNote:** \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe statistical results showed that physical exercise was positively correlated with physical self-esteem and negatively correlated with anxiety. Additionally, physical self-esteem and anxiety were significantly negatively correlated. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e displays each variable's mean and standard deviation.These results indicate a close correlation between the variables, warranting further analysis.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Moderated mediation effect test\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegression Analysis of the Mediating Role of Body Self-esteem and the Moderating Role of Gender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall fit index\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c10\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e95%CI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResult\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePredict\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eR\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eF\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eβ\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLLCI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eULCI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003et\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical exercise\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e111.57***\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;2.13*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical self-esteem\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;13.25***\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.19*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical exercise*gender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;0.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;4.85***\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"10\"\u003eNote:* \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05,*** \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor the purpose of learning more about how physical exercise affects anxiety in college students, as well as how gender and physical self-esteem function as mediators and moderators, this study utilized Model 5 of the SPSS macro program PROCESS to evaluate this hypothesis model. The regression analysis results (as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) indicated that both physical exercise and physical self-esteem had significant negative effects on college students' anxiety (\u003cem\u003eβ\u003c/em\u003e=-0.08, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05; \u003cem\u003eβ\u003c/em\u003e= -0.48, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), establishing the mediating effect of physical self-esteem. Additionally, the interaction term between physical self-esteem and gender significantly affected college students' anxiety (\u003cem\u003eβ\u003c/em\u003e= -0.14, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), suggesting that gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe simple slope analysis (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) reveals that as the level of physical exercise increases, the anxiety levels of college students decrease. However, the significant predictive effect of physical exercise on anxiety is notably stronger for female students compared to male students. This indicates that the impact of physical exercise on reducing anxiety is higher for female college students than for their male counterparts. In other words, The association between college students' anxiety levels and physical exercise is mediated by their gender.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eA chain mediation model was created in this study to investigate the internal mechanisms and individual variations in the ways that physical exercise affects anxiety in college students. This model examines the ways in which gender and physical self-esteem function as mediators between anxiety and physical exercise. The results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms behind anxiety and how physical exercise affects anxiety levels. Furthermore, the findings offer factual support and suggestions for averting worry and preserving college students' mental health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1 Influence of physical exercise on anxiety of college students\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study demonstrates a significant negative correlation between the level of physical exercise and anxiety, aligning with previous research and reinforcing the view that moderate physical exercise helps alleviate anxiety symptoms [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR33\" citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. While this study examined anxiety as an overall dimension rather than refining it into specific variables, the results clearly show that increased physical exercise is associated with lower anxiety levels. Moderate physical exercise can relieve anxiety symptoms by reducing stress, improving mood, and enhancing self-confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, physical exercise promotes overall physical health, strengthens immunity, and reduces the risk of diseases, which can further decrease the likelihood of anxiety[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage and promote physical exercise among college students to improve their physical exercise levels and awareness.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2 The mediating effect of physical self-esteem and the moderating effect of gender\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBuilding upon previous research and societal observations, through the perspective of physical self-esteem, this study investigates the process by which exercise affects anxiety levels among college students.The results suggest that anxiety levels and physical exercise are mediated by physical self-esteem. The term \"physical self-esteem\" describes how someone feels about their looks or body, whether positively or negatively. Higher physical self-esteem can enhance self-confidence and psychological resilience, thereby reducing anxiety levels[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. This aligns with the findings of scholars like Tikac et al. (2022), who have demonstrated that regular physical exercise significantly improves young people's physical self-esteem and overall mental health[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e].The study establishes a mediating model where the effect is realized through \"physical exercise \u0026rarr; physical self-esteem \u0026rarr; anxiety levels\". Physical exercise impacts college students' anxiety levels, with physical self-esteem playing a crucial mediating role. Engaging in appropriate physical exercise can enhance college students' physical self-esteem, which in turn leads to reduced anxiety levels. Therefore, alongside low-intensity physical exercise, it is recommended that college students consider moderate physical exercise that promote self-esteem and mental well-being, such as swimming, jogging, and dancing [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study further conducted a simple slope analysis and discovered that college students' anxiety levels dropped as their physical exercise levels rose. Importantly, this effect was significantly more pronounced for women compared to men in terms of gender. Specifically, the predictive impact of physical exercise on anxiety levels was greater for female college students than for their male counterparts, indicating that gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels among college students[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. This underscores the need to consider gender differences when designing intervention strategies, and to implement personalized interventions tailored to different gender groups [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e].Exercise professionals should be mindful of the challenges young women may encounter in engaging in physical exercise and should offer personalized strategies to address them. For instance, since women are more susceptible to social physical anxiety, interventions that focus on enhancing physical self-esteem and promoting positive body image education could effectively reduce anxiety levels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, studies have shown that gender differences also influence the relationship between physical exercise and depression, with anxiety often co-occurring with depression [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. These findings can be applied practically in mental health prevention among college students.Addressing the varying anxiety sensitivities between genders can inform strategies to promote physical exercise participation and narrow gender disparities. Interventions aimed at reducing anxiety sensitivity may encourage greater physical exercise engagement, thereby fostering better mental health outcomes and narrowing existing gender gaps [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e]. Developing tailored coping strategies based on statistically significant gender differences can effectively mitigate anxiety levels and promote overall mental well-being among college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summary, this study reveals that physical exercise impacts college students' anxiety levels indirectly through body self-esteem, with gender playing a moderating role. Specifically, the effect of physical exercise on reducing anxiety is significantly more pronounced among female college students compared to their male counterparts.This finding underscores that physical exercise may be more effective in alleviating anxiety among female students than male students. These results align with previous research suggesting gender-related differences in emotional responses to specific sports, where women often experience greater improvements[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these gender differences warrant further investigation in future research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Shortcomings and prospects of this study","content":"\u003cp\u003eFirst, This study primarily focuses on a sample of college students from a specific region and may not be fully representative of college students in other regions or cultural backgrounds.The sample size could be increased in subsequent studies to improve the results' generalizability.Additionally, this study's cross-sectional design allows it to only identify relationships between variables; it cannot prove causation.Follow-up studies could be designed longitudinally to explore more deeply the long-term effects of physical exercise on anxiety levels. Finally, to create a more complete theoretical model, future research can examine additional potential mediating and moderating factors, such as social support, self-efficacy, psychological resilience, and more, in addition to physical self-esteem and gender.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"6. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003e(1)There is a significant negative correlation between college students' levels of physical exercise and their anxiety levels.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(2)Physical self-esteem acts as a mediator in the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels among college students, with physical exercise influencing anxiety levels both directly and indirectly through its effect on physical self-esteem.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(3)Gender moderates the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels among college students, with the impact of physical exercise on reducing anxiety being more pronounced among female college students compared to male college students.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eConflict of interest\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors state that the study was conducted without any business or financial relationship, which could be interpreted as a potential conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe author(s) claims to have received financial support in the course of researching, writing and/or publishing this article.This study was backed by the Project of Jiangxi Province's Education Science 14th Five Year Plan[21YB200].\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWH: Conceptualization, Situation analysis, Verification, Writing - manuscript, Writing - examination \u0026amp; editing. YL: Conceptualization, Data curation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing - examination \u0026amp; editing.JZ:Survey,Writing - examination \u0026amp; editing.YD: Methodology, Writing - examination \u0026amp; editing. LL: Survey, Writing - examination \u0026amp; editing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe thank all participants.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData availability statement\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe original data upon which the conclusions of this paper are based are fully available and have been made available by the author.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuerbach RP, Alonso J, Axinn WG, Cuijpers P, Ebert DD, Green JG, Bruffaerts R. Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. 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Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(9):1798\u0026ndash;802. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003e10.1249/MSS.0000000000000969\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1249/MSS.0000000000000969\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"psyo","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychology](http://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"BMC Psychology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Physical exercise, Anxiety, Physical self-esteem, Gender, College student","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4655330/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4655330/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study investigated how physical exercise impacts anxiety levels in college students, with a particular emphasis on physical self-esteem as a mediating factor and gender as a moderating factor.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eData were collected from 1044 Chinese college students in a specific region using the Physical Activity Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Physical Self-Esteem Scale.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1)A significant inverse correlation was found between physical exercise levels and anxiety among college students.(2) Physical self-esteem served as a mediator in the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels, indicating that increased physical exercise enhances physical self-esteem, which in turn reduces anxiety levels. (3) Gender moderated the relationship between physical exercise and anxiety levels, with physical exercise being a stronger predictor of reduced anxiety in female college students than in male college students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research model offers a theoretical foundation for preventing and intervening in college students' anxiety and holds practical significance for improving their mental health.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The effects of physical exercise on college students' anxiety: mediation of body esteem and moderation by gender","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-07-24 14:45:28","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4655330/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-07-04T07:40:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2024-07-02T05:32:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Psychology","date":"2024-06-28T14:11:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"psyo","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychology](http://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"BMC Psychology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"976cfcb8-99fc-45a2-8a23-8e9fc1f8e040","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 24th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-07-24T14:45:28+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-07-24 14:45:28","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-4655330","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4655330","identity":"rs-4655330","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}