Background: With the rapid changes in body image construction brought about by the upgrading of consumption in China, trend-seeking college students are faced with mental health problems brought about by the pursuit of the “ideal body type,” which cannot be ignored. This study aims to explore the relationship between body image construction and mental health among college students. This study utilized data from the Survey on Physical Activity and Mental Health of College Students. A total of 1,192 students were randomly selected as the survey sample, and 1,044 valid samples were obtained. The mean age of the respondents was 19.34 years.Methods: First, we categorized body image constructs into three categories based on the differences between subjective and objective body image: high acceptance, low acceptance, and consistency. Second, to ensure analytical rigor and minimize potential confounders, we used a generalized propensity score weighting model. Finally, we used a causal mediation framework to investigate the potential causal mechanisms between the independent variable (perceived body image bias) and the dependent variable (mental health) in order to better understand the “net effect.”Results: (1) There is a significant correlation between college students’ body image perceptual bias and mental health, i.e., the higher the individual’s acceptance of his/her own body image, the higher the level of mental health, and vice versa. (2) Students in humanities and social sciences are more likely to have increased psychological burden due to poor negative body image. (3) In the mediation analysis, although the causal mediating effect of physical exercise was not significant, family and peer support in physical exercise played an important mediating role, especially the influence of peers was more significant.Conclusion: The construction of body image is a double-edged sword that can either promote positive individual development or lead to self-depreciation. Creating a positive climate for physical activity has a positive impact on college students’ mental health compared to participation in physical activity behaviors. While improving students’ media literacy on college campuses, it is important to enhance adaptive guidance to promote their physical and mental health and personal development.

Enhancing the subjective well-being of new professional farmers is a crucial issue in China’s rural revitalization for modernization. This study was based on sample survey data collected in August 2020 by the Industrial Development Research Group at Xi’an Jiaotong University in the southern part of Shaanxi Province, China. It focused on exploring the influence of livelihood capital and income fairness on the subjective well-being of new professional farmers. The findings revealed the following: (1) Livelihood capital has a significant positive impact on subjective well-being among new professional farmers. The greater the accumulation of livelihood capital, the stronger their subjective well-being. (2) Income fairness significantly contributes to subjective well-being among new professional farmers. However, when comparing different social groups, variations exist in their subjective well-being. (3) Income fairness serves as a mediating factor between livelihood capital and subjective well-being. In other words, the accumulation of livelihood capital among new professional farmers affects their perception of income fairness, which subsequently influences their subjective well-being. These results have important implications for enhancing the well-being of new professional farmers, promoting the modernization of Chinese agriculture, and advancing the implementation of rural revitalization strategies.

Social support can affect an individual’s physical activity and activity habitus. This study aims to explore: (1) the correlations between physical activity and parental/peer support among Chinese college students; (2) the differences between the effects of parental/peer support on college students’ physical activity. To achieve these aims, we conducted a cross-sectional study from September to December 2021, recruiting 1005 students (479 male respondents) from seven comprehensive universities in western China. Through OLS linear regression and quantile regression, we empirically testify that both parental support and peer support have significant influence on physical activity and activity habitus of Chinese college students, and peer support has greater impact. We also examine such effects of both types of support by grouping the samples into two groups on the bases of their existing physical activity habitus. We posit that as the most intimate interpersonal relationships, parental support and peer support play a key role in college students’ physical activity and activity habitus, and peer support has greater impact as they step into college. Our study provides insights into the factors of physical activity and activity habitus and we propose that attention regarding the impact of social support should be paid when we are trying to promote the physical activity of college students.

Green behavior is traditionally considered as an effective way to ameliorate environmental degradation and requires an individual to make sacrifices of their social resources. However, few studies have focused on its status signaling. In this study, we draw on the theory of social class and the concept of status signaling theory to empirically investigate the effect of objective social class and perceived social status on private-sphere green behavior in China. Using national comprehensive survey data from China General Survey Data (CGSS) in 2021 subjected to ordinary least-square regression model and step regression models, we present the following results: (1) higher-class individuals, both objectively and subjectively, tend to engage in more private-sphere green behavior than their lower-class counterparts; (2) the effect of objective social class on private-sphere green behavior is mediated by individual’s perceived social status in the class hierarchy; (3) environmental concern significantly correlates with private-sphere green behavior, and it also mediates the effect between objective social class and private-sphere green behavior. The present research provides insights into how social class and its psychological manifestations (i.e., perceptions of status) correlate with private-green behavior in China. Our results suggest that more social context factors should be considered when identifying the factors promoting pro-environmental behavior in China.