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Article

Associations Between Physical Activity Intensity, Resilience, Self-Esteem and Health-Related Quality of Life in University Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

by
Zhangyu Yang
1,2,
Gracia Cristina Villodres
1,*,
Jianfei Ye
3,
Xing Zhang
4,
Li Huang
5 and
José Joaquín Muros
1
1
Department of Didactics of Body Expression, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
2
College of Physical Education, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang 236037, China
3
Institute of Physical Education, Huangshan University, Huangshan 245041, China
4
Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
5
Institute of Sports Science, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Healthcare 2026, 14(11), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14111438
Submission received: 12 April 2026 / Revised: 19 May 2026 / Accepted: 21 May 2026 / Published: 22 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Physical, Mental, and Psychosocial Health in Primary Care: Collaborative Management Approach)
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Abstract

Background: University students often face significant psychological challenges and lifestyle disruptions that may compromise their mental resources and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Although associations between physical activity (PA) and mental health have been widely reported, few studies have integrated different PA intensities, sedentary behavior, and psychological resources jointly related in one analytical model. Objective: This study investigated the relationships among vigorous (VPA), moderate (MPA), and light (LPA) physical activity, sedentary behavior (SB), resilience (RES), self-esteem (SE), and HRQoL in a sample of Chinese university students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey included 1560 university students from six universities in China, with a mean age of 19.43 ± 1.15 years; the sample comprised 434 males (27.8%) and 1126 females (72.2%). Relationships among the variables were tested using path analysis within a structural equation modeling framework. Results: Greater PA engagement was related to higher RES, SE, and HRQoL, whereas SB was not significantly associated with RES. All three PA intensities were positively associated with RES, although the magnitude of these associations varied. In addition, RES was also related to higher SE and HRQoL, and SE was related to higher HRQoL. Conclusions: These findings suggest that PA is associated with psychological resources and HRQoL among university students. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to determine the directionality and mechanisms underlying these relationships.
Keywords: physical activity; exercise intensity; resilience; self-esteem; health-related quality of life; university students physical activity; exercise intensity; resilience; self-esteem; health-related quality of life; university students

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yang, Z.; Villodres, G.C.; Ye, J.; Zhang, X.; Huang, L.; Muros, J.J. Associations Between Physical Activity Intensity, Resilience, Self-Esteem and Health-Related Quality of Life in University Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Healthcare 2026, 14, 1438. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14111438

AMA Style

Yang Z, Villodres GC, Ye J, Zhang X, Huang L, Muros JJ. Associations Between Physical Activity Intensity, Resilience, Self-Esteem and Health-Related Quality of Life in University Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Healthcare. 2026; 14(11):1438. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14111438

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yang, Zhangyu, Gracia Cristina Villodres, Jianfei Ye, Xing Zhang, Li Huang, and José Joaquín Muros. 2026. "Associations Between Physical Activity Intensity, Resilience, Self-Esteem and Health-Related Quality of Life in University Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach" Healthcare 14, no. 11: 1438. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14111438

APA Style

Yang, Z., Villodres, G. C., Ye, J., Zhang, X., Huang, L., & Muros, J. J. (2026). Associations Between Physical Activity Intensity, Resilience, Self-Esteem and Health-Related Quality of Life in University Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Healthcare, 14(11), 1438. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14111438

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