Ahmad Khani, Sajad Moemeni
Physical activity had significant direct effects on mindfulness, mental well-being, and quality of life. Promoting physical activity in school settings may therefore enhance students' mindfulness, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.
BACKGROUND: The interrelationship between physical activity, mindfulness, and mental wellbeing may contribute to improved quality of life. This study examined the relationship between physical activity and quality of life, focusing on the mediating roles of mindfulness and mental well-being among junior high school students in Zanjan Province, Iran.
METHODS: This descriptive-correlational study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationship between the study variables. A stratified random sample of 407 male and female junior high school students (Grades 7-9) was selected from Zanjan Province, Iran, during the 2024-2025 academic year. Data were collected using the Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ), Student Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire (SSWQ), Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory-Short Form (FMI-SF), and the Children's Quality of Life Questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted using SPSS version 27, and the proposed model was tested using PLS-SEM in SmartPLS 3.
RESULTS: The study included 407 students (252 boys and 155 girls; mean age=13.53 ± 0.79 years). The findings indicated that higher levels of physical activity were linked to higher scores in mental well-being (Mdn=68, IQR=16), quality of life (Mdn=73, IQR=22), and mindfulness (Mdn=41, IQR=13). Structural equation modeling showed that physical activity had significant direct effects on mindfulness (β=0.308, P<0.001), mental well-being (β=0.261, P<0.001), and quality of life (β=0.361, P<0.001). Moreover, mindfulness (β=0.057, P=0.037) and mental well-being (β=0.061, P=0.016) significantly mediated the relationship between physical activity and quality of life.
CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity had significant direct effects on mindfulness, mental well-being, and quality of life. Promoting physical activity in school settings may therefore enhance students' mindfulness, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.