This study aims to explore the relationship and underlying mechanisms between social appearance anxiety (SAA) and restrained eating (RE) among female college students. Although previous studies have shown a correlation between SAA and RE, the internal pathways remain unclear. Based on social comparison theory and objectification theory, this study constructs a model that includes self-objectification (SO) as a mediating variable and physical exercise (PE) as a moderating variable to analyze the impact mechanisms of SAA on RE. Adopting a cross-sectional online survey design, this study collected data from 2161 female college students in China. The results showed that SAA was significantly positively related to SO (β = 0.37, p < 0.001) and RE (β = 0.34, p < 0.001). SO partially mediated the relationship between SAA and RE (β = 0.125, 95% CI [0.104, 0.149]). Moreover, PE moderates the relationship between SAA and RE (β = −0.15, p < 0.001). However, PE’s moderating effect is insignificant in the relationship between SO and RE. These findings offer valuable insights and suggest that interventions targeting SAA and SO, as well as promoting PE, may help improve RE among female college students.

Background: With the increase in the global aging population, the mental health of older adults has become increasingly prominent. This study aims to explore the relationship between the interaction of physical activity and sleep quality in older adults and depression and anxiety. Methods: A multi-stage stratified random sampling method was employed to survey various communities within Nanchang City, collecting data from 2,497 older adults. The assessment tools included the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). Results: Among 2,497 participants, 582 (23.30%) had depressive tendencies; 1,122 (44.90%) had anxiety tendencies. The detection rate of depression and anxiety was higher in females than in males. Logistic regression analysis results showed that low physical activity was positively correlated with depression and anxiety (OR = 9.46; 3.66), while poor sleep quality was positively associated with depression and anxiety (OR = 2.40; 9.96) ( P < 0.05). There is an interactive effect between physical activity and sleep quality in relation to anxiety and depressive symptoms in older adults. Specifically, compared to low physical activity combined with poor sleep quality, the combination of high physical activity and good sleep quality is associated with reduced levels of both anxiety and depression ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: This investigation underscores the dynamic interplay among physical activity, sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in older adults, forming a critical foundation for designing tailored interventions to enhance mental health outcomes in this population.

Objective: Childhood emotional abuse is a significant yet often overlooked predictor of suicidal ideation among young adults. This longitudinal study examined how alexithymia mediates the relationship between Childhood emotional abuse and suicidal ideation among college students, and whether physical exercise moderates both the direct and indirect paths within this association. Method: We conducted a two-wave longitudinal study (12-month interval) using convenience sampling of Chinese college students from multiple universities in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. At T1 (April–June 2024), 1,006 valid online self-reports were collected; at T2 (April–June 2025), 926 participants were successfully matched (Mage = 20.78, SD = 2.58). Measures included childhood emotional abuse (CTQ–Emotional Abuse), alexithymia (TAS-20), suicidal ideation (PANSI), and weekly physical exercise frequency (single-item). Analyses used SPSS PROCESS (Model 4 and 15) with 5,000 bootstrap resamples, controlling for gender and birthplace. Results: The results showed that T2 alexithymia mediated the relationship between T1 childhood emotional abuse and T2 suicidal ideation. Additionally, T2 physical exercise significantly moderated the direct relationship between T1 childhood emotional abuse and T2 suicidal ideation. However, the moderating effect of physical exercise on the indirect pathway via T2 alexithymia was not significant. Conclusions: The findings highlight alexithymia as a key psychological mechanism linking emotional abuse in Childhood to suicidal ideation during emerging adulthood, while physical exercise serves as a protective factor at the direct level. Targeted interventions that enhance emotional awareness and promote regular physical activity may help mitigate suicide risk among college students with emotional abuse histories.

Background: In recent years, Generation Z's demand for protein powder and other sports nutrition products has grown significantly. While existing studies have primarily focused on how product functionalities influence consumer decisions, the decision-triggering mechanisms of packaging design within the framework of sensory marketing theory remain unclear. Specifically, the psychological pathways through which sports-implied elements influence Generation Z's purchasing decisions remain underexplored. Method: Based on embodied cognition theory and self-determination theory, this study employs a mixed research methodology to conduct three online scenario experiments ( N = 1,456). We examined the impact of sports-implied packaging on Generation Z's purchase intention using two-way ANOVA and Process Model 6 to test the moderating role of disease threat and the chained mediating roles of exercise motivation and psychological empowerment. Results: Compared to traditional packaging, sports-implied packaging significantly enhances Generation Z's purchase intention. In this process, Generation Z's exercise motivation and psychological empowerment further amplify the stimulating effect of sports-implied labels, strengthening their purchase intention. Notably, the intensifying role of intrinsic motivation is particularly pronounced. Additionally, higher levels of disease threat magnify the promoting effect of sports implications. Conclusion: This study provides theoretical support for protein powder manufacturers to develop precise marketing strategies. It is recommended that companies optimize packaging designs based on disease threat levels, psychological empowerment, and exercise motivations based on their target demographics.

Life satisfaction (LS) is an important indicator of subjective well-being among college students. However, relatively few studies have integrated variable-centered and person-centered approaches to examine the associations among physical activity (PA), social support (SS), and LS in female college students. This cross-sectional study surveyed 2097 female college students from 11 universities in Jiangxi Province, China. PA, SS, and LS were assessed using self-report questionnaires. A mediation model was used to examine whether SS statistically mediated the association between PA and LS after controlling for education level and place of origin. Latent profile analysis was then conducted using six LS items, and the BCH method was used to compare PA and SS across profiles. The results showed that PA was positively associated with SS and LS, and SS was positively associated with LS. The indirect association between PA and LS through SS was statistically significant, suggesting a partial statistical mediation pattern. Latent profile analysis identified three level-based LS profiles: low-, medium-, and high-LS profiles. PA and SS increased progressively across these profiles, with the highest levels in the high-LS profile and the lowest levels in the low-LS profile. These findings suggest that PA, SS, and LS are closely interrelated and that meaningful quantitative heterogeneity exists in LS among female college students. Given the cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, the findings should be interpreted as statistical associations rather than causal effects.

Objectives: This study explores how negative life events relate to problematic smartphone use among university students and examines whether self-efficacy acts as a mediator and physical activity as a moderator in this relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduates at eight universities in Nanchang, China, from November 2024 to March 2025. Validated instruments were used to assess negative life events (ASLEC), self-efficacy (GSES), physical activity (PARS), and problematic smartphone use (SAS-SV). The sample included 2,680 participants (47.6% male, 52.4% female; mean age = 19.60 years). Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation analysis and PROCESS models for mediation and moderation. Results: Negative life events were positively correlated with problematic smartphone use and negatively correlated with self-efficacy and physical activity. Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between negative life events and problematic smartphone use [indirect effect β = 0.05, 95% CI (0.04, 0.07)], with a significant direct effect. Physical activity attenuated the positive correlation between negative life events and problematic smartphone use (interaction β = −0.01, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Negative life events, self-efficacy, physical activity, and problematic smartphone use are interrelated among university students. Enhancing self-efficacy and promoting physical activity may help mitigate problematic smartphone use. However, the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reports limit causal inference.