IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ariqol/v20y2025i1d10.1007_s11482-024-10414-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Life Activities Time Allocation and Subjective Well-Being of the Old Adults in China: a Compositional Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Xuan Chen

    (Zhejiang University
    Tsinghua University)

  • Peng Zhang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Kaiping Peng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Yifan Wang

    (Tsinghua University
    University of New South Wales)

Abstract

Various life activities, such as sleep, physical activity (PA), screen use, and learning, are closely related to the mental health and subjective well-being (SWB) of the old adults. Previous studies have focused on a single life activity and used flawed statistical methods, which lead to divergent results, as co-dependency between activities were neglected. This study aimed to explore the relationship between daily activity time and depression and SWB in the old adult group from the perspective of time composition. In this study, we collected data on the sleep, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA (LPA), screen use, and learning times of 1,738 old adults from 28 provinces in China. Analyses were performed using a compositional data analysis (CoDA) and isotemporal substitution model (ISM). The study results show that, considering changes in time spent on other activities, learning and LPA were positively associated with SWB and negatively associated with depression. In contrast, MVPA time was negatively associated with SWB and positively associated with depression. Screen use was not associated with SWB but positively associated with depression, and sleep was negatively associated with SWB but had no correlation with depression. The ISM showed that the most effective way to improve SWB and reduce depression is to reduce time spent on MVPA and increase time for learning or LPA.This study was the first to analyze life activities from the perspective of time composition (how to change life activities’ time allocation) to improve well-being and reduce depression among Chinese old adults and provide some practical life advice.

Suggested Citation

  • Xuan Chen & Peng Zhang & Kaiping Peng & Yifan Wang, 2025. "Life Activities Time Allocation and Subjective Well-Being of the Old Adults in China: a Compositional Perspective," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 20(1), pages 369-391, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:20:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11482-024-10414-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-024-10414-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11482-024-10414-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11482-024-10414-w?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. Janet Withall & Afroditi Stathi & Mark Davis & Jo Coulson & Janice L. Thompson & Kenneth R. Fox, 2014. "Objective Indicators of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time and Associations with Subjective Well-Being in Adults Aged 70 and Over," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, January.
    2. JeongHee Yeo & Yoon G. Lee, 2019. "Understanding the Association Between Perceived Financial Well-Being and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults: Does Social Capital Play a Role?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 592-608, December.
    3. JeongHee Yeo & Yoon G. Lee, 2019. "Correction to: Understanding the Association Between Perceived Financial Well-Being and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults: Does Social Capital Play a Role?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 747-747, December.
    4. Shige Qi & Yuying Sun & Peng Yin & Han Zhang & Zhihui Wang, 2021. "Mobile Phone Use and Cognitive Impairment among Elderly Chinese: A National Cross-Sectional Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, May.
    5. Kaja Kastelic & Nejc Šarabon & Michael D. Burnard & Željko Pedišić, 2022. "Validity and Reliability of the Daily Activity Behaviours Questionnaire (DABQ) for Assessment of Time Spent in Sleep, Sedentary Behaviour, and Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-11, April.
    6. Kar Hau Chong & Anne-Maree Parrish & Dylan P. Cliff & Dorothea Dumuid & Anthony D. Okely, 2021. "Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between 24-Hour Movement Behaviours, Recreational Screen Use and Psychosocial Health Outcomes in Children: A Compositional Data Analysis Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, June.
    7. Anja Stevic & Desirée Schmuck & Jörg Matthes & Kathrin Karsay, 2021. "‘Age Matters’: A panel study investigating the influence of communicative and passive smartphone use on well-being," Behaviour and Information Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(2), pages 176-190, January.
    8. Po-Wen Ku & Kenneth R. Fox & Li-Jung Chen, 2016. "Leisure-Time Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviors and Subjective Well-Being in Older Adults: An Eight-Year Longitudinal Research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(3), pages 1349-1361, July.
    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. Ifra Bashir & Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, 2023. "A Systematic Literature Review on Personal Financial Well-Being: The Link to Key Sustainable Development Goals 2030," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 12(1), pages 31-48, March.
    2. Melissa J. Wilmarth, 2021. "Financial and Economic Well-Being: A Decade Review from Journal of Family and Economic Issues," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 124-130, July.
    3. Ifra Bashir & Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, 2023. "Analysing Literature on Financial Well-being: A Bibliometric Approach," Paradigm, , vol. 27(2), pages 111-135, December.
    4. Choi, Shinae L. & Lee, Yoon G., 2023. "Financial hardship and change in emotional well-being before to during COVID-19 pandemic among middle-aged and older Americans: Moderating effects of internal coping resources," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    5. Lu Fan & Soomin Ryu, 2023. "Financial debts and subjective well‐being of young adults: An adaption of the stress process model," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 1576-1604, October.
    6. Yanghan Li & Tianyi Chen & Quan Li & Linxiu Jiang, 2023. "The Impact of Subjective Poverty on the Mental Health of the Elderly in China: The Mediating Role of Social Capital," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Tae‐Young Pak & Lu Fan, 2022. "Childhood experience of parental affection and financial well‐being in later life: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 1433-1453, December.
    8. Wenjun Li & Haiyan Sun & Wen Xu & Wenyuan Ma & Xin Yuan & Yaling Niu & Changgui Kou, 2021. "Individual Social Capital and Life Satisfaction among Mainland Chinese Adults: Based on the 2016 China Family Panel Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-14, January.
    9. Li, Junpeng & Ma, Wanglin & Gong, Binlei, 2023. "Market participation and subjective well-being of maize farmers," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 941-960.
    10. Sayed Ehsan Saeedi & T. Mohamed Nishad, 2024. "Financial well-being and financial behavior: a bibliometric analysis," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(12), pages 1-24, December.
    11. Wai Ming To & Jennifer H. Gao & Ernest Y. W. Leung, 2020. "The Effects of Job Insecurity on Employees’ Financial Well-Being and Work Satisfaction Among Chinese Pink-Collar Workers," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, December.
    12. Soomin Ryu & Lu Fan, 2023. "The Relationship Between Financial Worries and Psychological Distress Among U.S. Adults," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 16-33, March.
    13. Elizabeth M. Harding & Ann L. Gibson & Huining Kang & Micah N. Zuhl & Harsh Sharma & Cindy K. Blair, 2022. "Self-Selected Walking Cadence after 16-Week Light-Intensity Physical Activity Intervention for Older Cancer Survivors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-15, April.
    14. KangJae Jerry Lee & Seonghee Cho & Eui Kyung Kim & Sunhwan Hwang, 2020. "Do More Leisure Time and Leisure Repertoire Make Us Happier? An Investigation of the Curvilinear Relationships," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1727-1747, June.
    15. Alejandro Gomez-Bruton & David Navarrete-Villanueva & Jorge Pérez-Gómez & Sara Vila-Maldonado & Eva Gesteiro & Narcis Gusi & Jose Gerardo Villa-Vicente & Luis Espino & Marcela Gonzalez-Gross & Jose A., 2020. "The Effects of Age, Organized Physical Activity and Sedentarism on Fitness in Older Adults: An 8-Year Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-17, June.
    16. Putri Aliah Mohd Hidzir & Shafinar Ismail & Sharifah Heryati Syed Nor & Aqilah Nadiah Md Sahiq, 2023. "Financial Well-Being of Micro-Entrepreneurs: A Proposed Conceptual Framework," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 15(3), pages 418-428.
    17. Jing Li & Chia-Chien Hsu & Ching-Torng Lin, 2019. "Leisure Participation Behavior and Psychological Well-Being of Elderly Adults: An Empirical Study of Tai Chi Chuan in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-19, September.
    18. Dahlia Stott & DeAndra Forde & Chetan Sharma & Jonathan M. Deutsch & Michael Bruneau & Jennifer A. Nasser & Mara Z. Vitolins & Brandy-Joe Milliron, 2024. "Interactions with Nature, Good for the Mind and Body: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-26, March.
    19. Chun Yang & Daniel W. L. Lai & Yi Sun & Chun-Yin Ma & Anson Kai Chun Chau, 2022. "Mobile Application Use and Loneliness among Older Adults in the Digital Age: Insights from a Survey in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-22, June.
    20. Genevieve S. E. Smith & Wendy Moyle & Nicola W. Burton, 2023. "The Relationship between Social Support for Physical Activity and Physical Activity across Nine Years in Adults Aged 60–65 Years at Baseline," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-13, March.

    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:spr:ariqol:v:20:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11482-024-10414-w. 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: http://www.springer.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.