This paper aims to analyze the effects of physical activity, screen time, and academic burden on adolescent health in China and compare their effects by using the nationally representative sample data from the CEPS (China Educational Panel Survey) cross-section data. This paper first uses regression analysis to examine the relationship between physical activity, screen time, academic burden and health among Chinese adolescents. Then, this paper uses the clustering analysis the influence of physical activity, screen time, and academic burden on the health of Chinese adolescents. The empirical results show that: (1) along with exercise, helping with the housework also has a clear health-promoting effect on adolescents; (2) the time spent surfing the Internet or playing video games, and heavy studying or homework off campus have a negative effect on adolescents’ self-rated health and mental health; (3) physical activity has the greatest impact on self-rated health, while screen time has the greatest impact on mental health, and academic burden is not the most important factor affecting adolescent health in China.

Background: Social capital plays a crucial role in sustaining individual health behaviors. While numerous studies have confirmed the positive impact of social capital on individual health outcomes, limited research has explored its influence on specific health behaviors. Based on data from Job Search and Social Networks 2014 (JSNET 2014) in eight China cities, this study assesses social capital through the occupational heterogeneity of the Bainian Network and the breadth of participation in the Dining Network, aiming to analyze the influence of social capital on health behaviors.Methods: First, given that the dependent variable is ordinal, this study employs an ordinal logistic regression model (ordered logistic model) to estimate the cumulative odds of social capital affecting health behaviors. Second, it examines the relationship between social capital and positive health behaviors, including exercise frequency and routine health checkups. Finally, it explores the association between social capital and negative health behaviors, specifically the frequency of alcohol consumption and smoking. All data analyses were conducted using Stata 17.0.Results: (1) Social capital significantly influences both positive and negative health behaviors. (2) There is a positive correlation between social capital and health-promoting behaviors, such as physical activity and routine medical checkups. (3) The relationship between social capital and negative health behaviors-such as increased alcohol consumption and smoking frequency-underscores the dual nature of social networks, which can either foster positive behaviors or reinforce unhealthy habits.Conclusion: The findings suggest that social capital has a dual impact: it promotes positive health behaviors such as physical exercise and regular health checkups, while also reinforcing negative health behaviors like drinking and smoking. Nonetheless, these findings are limited to urban population, and future research should extend to rural population to provide a more comprehensive understanding.