IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i24p16401-d996027.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Association between Internet Use and Physical Exercise among Middle-Aged and Older Adults—Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Bin Guo

    (Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China)

  • Xiaodong Zhang

    (Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China)

  • Rui Zhang

    (Department of Physical Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China)

  • Gong Chen

    (Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China)

Abstract

Background: In an aging and digital society, Internet use is significantly associated with residents’ physical exercise. This study aimed to explore the association between Internet use and physical exercise among Chinese middle-aged and older adults in two respects: Internet use and the purpose of Internet use. Methods: The data used in this study were obtained from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) conducted by Peking University. The logit model and the ordered probit model were used to analyze the association between Internet use and physical exercise, and the substitution variable method was used to examine the robustness of the results. Results: (1) Internet use and the frequency of Internet use significantly increased the probability and frequency of middle-aged and older adults’ participation in physical exercise ( p < 0.001). (2) “Watching news”, “chatting” and “watching videos” via the Internet were positively associated with physical exercise, while “playing games” had no impact. (3) Internet use had a greater impact on physical exercise participation among middle-aged adults and those living in urban areas than among older adults and those living in rural areas. Conclusions: This study suggests that Internet use among middle-aged and older adults is positively associated with their participation in physical exercise; the government should try to increase the popularity of Internet use to encourage their participation in physical exercise.

Suggested Citation

  • Bin Guo & Xiaodong Zhang & Rui Zhang & Gong Chen, 2022. "The Association between Internet Use and Physical Exercise among Middle-Aged and Older Adults—Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16401-:d:996027
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/16401/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/16401/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hanspeter Stamm & Markus Lamprecht & Bertino Somaini & Matthias Peters, 2001. "“Getting Switzerland to move”: E valuation of a new “Sport for All” programme," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 46(1), pages 20-28, January.
    2. Andreas Ihle & Bruna R. Gouveia & Élvio R. Gouveia & Boris Cheval & Marcelo de Maio Nascimento & Lúcia Conceição & Priscila Marconcin & Miguel Peralta & Gerson Ferrari & Duarte Oliveira & Matthias Kli, 2021. "Physical Activity Dimensions Differentially Predict Physical and Mental Components of Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence from a Sport for All Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Roberta Bevilacqua & Stefano Strano & Mirko Di Rosa & Cinzia Giammarchi & Katerina Katka Cerna & Claudia Mueller & Elvira Maranesi, 2021. "eHealth Literacy: From Theory to Clinical Application for Digital Health Improvement. Results from the ACCESS Training Experience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-11, November.
    4. Ronggang Zhou & Patrick S W Fong & Peking Tan, 2014. "Internet Use and Its Impact on Engagement in Leisure Activities in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(2), pages 1-11, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Majed M. Alruwaili & Mostafa Shaban & Osama Mohamed Elsayed Ramadan, 2023. "Digital Health Interventions for Promoting Healthy Aging: A Systematic Review of Adoption Patterns, Efficacy, and User Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Jiwu Wang & Xuewei Hu & Chengyu Tong, 2021. "Urban Community Sustainable Development Patterns under the Influence of COVID-19: A Case Study Based on the Non-Contact Interaction Perspective of Hangzhou City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Joanna Albrecht & Anna Lea Stark & Eleana Dongas & Kamil J. Wrona & Christoph Dockweiler, 2022. "Hosting an Online World Café to Develop an Understanding of Digital Health Promoting Settings from a Citizen’s Perspective—Methodological Potentials and Challenges," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-19, August.
    4. Alimila Hayixibayi & Esben Strodl & Wei-Qing Chen & Adrian B Kelly, 2021. "School-based relationships and problematic internet use amongst Chinese students," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Jesús García-Mayor & Élvio Rúbio Gouveia & Adilson Marques & Ernesto De la Cruz-Sánchez & Antonio Moreno-Llamas & Cíntia França & Bruna R. Gouveia & Andreas Ihle, 2022. "Exploring the Role of Physical Activity in Mediating the Association between Educational Level and Health-Related Quality of Life in an Adult Lifespan Sample from Madeira Island," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    6. Ren, Yanjun & Li, Hui & Wang, Xiaobing, 2019. "Family income and nutrition-related health: Evidence from food consumption in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 58-76.
    7. Taehwan Park & Jagannath Muzumdar & Hyemin Kim, 2022. "Digital Health Interventions by Clinical Pharmacists: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-18, January.
    8. Chutima Jalayondeja & Wattana Jalayondeja & Keerin Mekhora & Petcharatana Bhuanantanondh & Asadang Dusadi-Isariyavong & Rujiret Upiriyasakul, 2017. "Break in Sedentary Behavior Reduces the Risk of Noncommunicable Diseases and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors among Workers in a Petroleum Company," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-9, May.
    9. Eija Kärnä & Lotta Aavikko & Rebekka Rohner & Vera Gallistl & Kaisa Pihlainen & Claudia Müller & Anja Ehlers & Roberta Bevilacqua & Stefano Strano & Elvira Maranesi & Katerina Cerna & Lisa Hengl & Fra, 2022. "A Multilevel Model of Older Adults’ Appropriation of ICT and Acquisition of Digital Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-14, November.
    10. Patrícia Silva & Alice Delerue Matos & Roberto Martinez-Pecino, 2017. "E-inclusion: Beyond individual socio-demographic characteristics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(9), pages 1-10, September.
    11. Marielle Schirmer & Katharina Dalko & Dietrich Stoevesandt & Denny Paulicke & Patrick Jahn, 2023. "Educational Concepts of Digital Competence Development for Older Adults—A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-18, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16401-:d:996027. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.