The Structural Relationship between Exercise Frequency, Social Health, and Happiness in Adolescents

Hanguk Cheon

doi:10.3390/su13031050

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify the relations between exercise frequency, social relationships, sense of community, and subjective happiness among adolescents. The data analysed in the study were from the 11th Korean Child–Adolescent Happiness Index conducted by the Korean Bang Jeong Hwan Foundation in 2019. The data consisted of questionnaire responses from 5094 middle-school and high-school students. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, model validity and fit analysis, path analysis, and effects analysis. The results showed that exercise frequency was associated with social relationships, sense of community, and subjective happiness in adolescents, and a comprehensive examination of relations between exercise frequency, a part of social relationships, sense of community, and subjective happiness was confirmed. It can be concluded that adolescents who participate in frequent exercise become more socially adept, which could in turn make them happier. Policymakers and stakeholders, including educational institutions and parents, should therefore promote adolescent participation in exercise and sports.

Highlights

Relationship between ExerciseExercise and health are two important factors of happiness in humans [1,2,3]
Hypothesis 2 was supported: exercise frequency was positively related to sense of community
Exercise frequency was positively related to subjective happiness

Summary

Introduction

Exercise and health are two important factors of happiness in humans [1,2,3]. This idea suggests that happiness can be induced in individuals by promoting health through exercise [4]. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified health into three aspects: physical, mental, and social [5]. Exercise has been reported to promote all three aspects of health [4,6,7]. An overwhelming body of evidence supports the relationship between exercise and physical health [7], and the relationship between exercise and mental and social health has been extensively documented [8,9]. There have been attempts to shed light on the comprehensive relations among various factors (exercise frequency, self-esteem, stress, depression, school satisfaction, degree of happiness) [4,10]

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Discussion

Conclusion