How electronic health literacy influences physical activity behaviour among university students: A moderated mediation model

Purpose: This study examines how eHealth literacy influences exercise behaviour among university students through a moderated mediation model. Specifically, peer relationships are positioned as mediators, while sleep quality moderates the effect of eHealth literacy on exercise behaviour among university students. The study explores the intricate interactions involved and elucidates how eHealth literacy affects exercise behaviour through multiple dimensions. Methods: Student data were collected via questionnaire surveys across multiple academies. A stratified purpose sampling approach was employed for participant selection, targeting four specific universities to ensure regional and typhological representation: Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Yangzhou University, Shangqiu University, and Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute. This process resulted in 14,892 valid responses for analysis, and SPSS 26.0 along with the PROCESS macro was used to analyses variables such as electronic health literacy, physical activity, sleep quality, and peer relationships. Results: The structural equation modeling revealed a significant direct effect of eHealth literacy on university students physical activity behaviour (β=0.065, p