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Body appreciation, self-efficacy and body talk mediate the association between parenting styles and physical activity in Chinese adolescents

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigated physical activity (PA) among 2,142 junior high school students in Hangzhou. Results indicated insufficient PA levels (M = 2.79, SD = 0.75), with girls being less active than boys. Paternal emotional warmth was significantly associated with higher PA. Path analyses revealed gender-specific mediation: for boys, body appreciation and self-efficacy sequentially mediated the relationship between paternal emotional warmth and PA; for girls, self-efficacy and body talk acted as parallel mediators. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at increasing adolescent PA should involve parents, particularly fathers, through integrated home-school-community programs that address body image and self-efficacy.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-67501-1