During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students’ health-related physical activity and physical literacy aroused widespread concern. This study evaluated the relationship among physical literacy (PL), sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); we further explored whether LAP and SB mediated the association between PL and MVPA. Methods: This study was based on a cross-sectional survey of Chinese college students. The Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument Scale (PPLI-SC) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) were used to investigate the PL, MVPA, LPA, and SB. Results: There were 2996 valid questionnaires with 829 boys and 2167 girls. The MVPA, LPA, and PL of boys were significantly higher than girls, while the SB values were significantly lower in girls (p < 0.01). The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between the two indexes except for SB and LPA. Path analysis shows that PL directly, significantly, and positively affects MVPA. PL reduces SB (β = −0.085, p < 0.001) and increases LPA (β = 0.097, p < 0.001). The total mediation effect accounted for 14.014%, and the mediation effects of SB and LPA accounted for 4.417% and 9.597%, respectively. Conclusions: LPA and SB partially mediated the relation between PL and MVPA. SB and LPA partially explain the impact of PL on MVPA. The findings suggest that managing SB and improving LPA could play a significant indirect role in increasing the positive effect of PL on MVPA and that increasing the opportunities for LPA increased the MVPA for Chinese college students.
BackgroundPhysical literacy and enjoyment are important factors that affect physical activity.PurposeThis work studies whether physical activity enjoyment (PAE) mediates the association between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and physical literacy (PL) among college students.MethodsChinese college students were recruited using the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument Scale (PPLI-SC), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. The SPSS Hayes process macro (model 4) was used to analyze the direct impact and the indirect impact. Pearson correlation, independent sample t-tests, and linear regression were used to analyze the relationship between indicators.ResultsThe study surveyed 587 boys and 1,393 girls with a total of 1,980 valid questionnaires. MVPA, PAE, and PL of boys were significantly higher than girls (p < 0.01). The correlation analysis showed that MVPA, PL, and PAE were significantly correlated (p < 0.01). The results showed the direct effect of PL on MVPA was still statistically significant (β = 0.067, p < 0.05) after adding PAE variables; PAE has a positive effect on MVPA after controlling PL (β = 0.170, p < 0. 01). PL has a positive effect on PAE (β = 0.750, p < 0.01). PL impacted MVPA as explained by a 65.58% mediating effect of enjoyment.ConclusionPhysical activity enjoyment mediates the relationship between PL and MVPA among college students. This means that even high PL among student may not imply that they are physically active if they do not enjoy physical activity.
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