Work

A bidirectional association between school environmental factors and physical activity habit formation among Chinese urban adolescents: a cross-lagged panel model

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: School environment is considered one of the important external factors that affect the formation of physical activity habits among teenagers, and its mechanism of action and time effect still require verification through longitudinal evidence. Methods: In this survey, junior and senior high school students in Shanghai were selected as samples. A three-time point tracking design was adopted to obtain valid questionnaires totaling 1,235. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and cross-lag model analysis were conducted through SPSS 24.0 and Mplus 8.3, respectively, to explore the dynamic influence of school environmental factors on physical activity habits. Results: < 0.001), while existing activity habits of adolescents did not have a significant reverse impact on the above school factors. The model fits well: RMSEA = 0.042, CFI = 0.929, TLI = 0.868. Conclusion: School environmental factors, especially the guarantee mechanisms at the levels of teaching and curriculum, play a continuous promoting role in the formation of physical activity habits of teenagers. The study recommends that in reforming school physical education, more emphasis should be laid on integrating the curriculum to allow teacher support and the opening of sports venues in order to promote long-term consolidation and continuation of the activity habits.

Source: Frontiers in Public Health

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1775763