IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v12y2025i1d10.1057_s41599-025-04854-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Predictive model of the relationship between social support, body image perception, and physical activity among university students

Author

Listed:
  • Xuejiao Gao

    (University Putra Malaysia)

  • Xiaolin Wang

    (University Putra Malaysia)

  • Chen Soon Chee

    (University Putra Malaysia)

  • Shamsulariffin Samsudin

    (University Putra Malaysia)

  • Muhammad Zarif Hassan

    (University Putra Malaysia)

  • Luhong Ma

    (University Putra Malaysia)

  • Pan Liu

    (University Putra Malaysia)

  • Yuming Zhang

    (University Putra Malaysia)

Abstract

This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between social support, body image perception, and physical activity among university students. A total of 400 students (mean age = 20.58, SD = 1.71) from six faculties and departments at Ludong University participated voluntarily, with convenience sampling employed for participant selection. The Multidimensional Social Support Scale, Physical Activity Rating Scale, and Body Image States Scale were administered to assess relevant variables. The results indicated that support from family, friends, and school support, as well as body image perception, were positively associated with university students’ physical activity. Mediation analyses revealed that body image perception partially mediated the relationship between friend support and physical activity and fully mediated the relationship between school support and physical activity. No mediation effect was found between family support and physical activity. These findings suggest that friend and school support play a more prominent role in influencing university students’ physical activity through body image perception. Programs aiming to promote physical activity among university students should prioritize enhancing friend and school support alongside strategies to improve body image perception, ultimately fostering healthier behaviors and overall well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Xuejiao Gao & Xiaolin Wang & Chen Soon Chee & Shamsulariffin Samsudin & Muhammad Zarif Hassan & Luhong Ma & Pan Liu & Yuming Zhang, 2025. "Predictive model of the relationship between social support, body image perception, and physical activity among university students," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-04854-4
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-04854-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-025-04854-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-025-04854-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maturo, C.C. & Cunningham, S.A., 2013. "Influence of friends on children's physical activity: A review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(7), pages 23-38.
    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. Changqing Xiang & Jie Zhao & Tengku Fadilah Tengku Kamalden & Wenting Dong & Hua Luo & Normala Ismail, 2023. "The effectiveness of child and adolescent sports engagement in China: an analysis of China’s results for the 2016–2022 Global Matrix report cards on physical activity," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Sabina B. Gesell & Kayla de la Haye & Evan C. Sommer & Santiago J. Saldana & Shari L. Barkin & Edward H. Ip, 2020. "Identifying Social Network Conditions that Facilitate Sedentary Behavior Change: The Benefit of Being a “Bridge” in a Group-based Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Myriam Alvariñas-Villaverde & Javier Martínez-Torres & Belén Toja-Reboredo & Miguel González-Valeiro, 2022. "Prediction Model for Physical Activity Level in Primary School Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-11, March.
    4. Natalia Arias & María Dolores Calvo & José Alberto Benítez-Andrades & María José Álvarez & Beatriz Alonso-Cortés & Carmen Benavides, 2018. "Socioeconomic Status in Adolescents: A Study of Its Relationship with Overweight and Obesity and Influence on Social Network Configuration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Ruth Salway & Lydia Emm-Collison & Simon J. Sebire & Janice L. Thompson & Deborah A. Lawlor & Russell Jago, 2019. "A Multilevel Analysis of Neighbourhood, School, Friend and Individual-Level Variation in Primary School Children’s Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Masoud Javadpoor & Ali Soltani & Leila Fatehnia & Negin Soltani, 2023. "How the Built Environment Moderates Gender Gap in Active Commuting to Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-16, January.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-04854-4. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.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.