Demographic Characteristics and Digital Platforms for Physical Activity Among the Chinese Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mediating Analysis

Abstract

Ping Fang,1 Shusheng Shi,1 Rashid Menhas,2 Rizwan Ahmed Laar,3 Muhammad Muddasar Saeed4 1School of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Research Center of Sports Social Sciences, School of Physical Education and Sports, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China; 3College of Physical Education, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China; 4International Education College Chinese and Western Medicine Clinic, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Rashid Menhas, Research Center of Sports Social Sciences, School of Physical Education and Sports, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China, Email menhas.r@yahoo.com Rizwan Ahmed Laar, College of Physical Education, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China, Email rizwan_laar@yahoo.comBackground: E-health apps play a vital role in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. More people across the globe have started to use fitness and health apps to mitigate the COVID-19 negative impacts on the health-related quality of life. E-health treatments are becoming more common these days.Aim: The present research aim was to explore the mediating role of digital platforms for physical activity and fitness with demographic characteristics among Chinese people during the pandemic.Methods: The primary data was collected through an online survey across China under the snowball sampling technique. A total of 5351 respondents took part in the online questionnaire survey. After quantification and quality check of the data, a total of 5000 respondents’ responses were added in the final analysis. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS-25 and SmartPLS 3.0 software.Results: The structural equation model analysis H1 (β = 0.227, t = 18.725, p = < 0.000), H2 (β = 0.225, t = 17.892, p = < 0.000), H3 (β = 0.229, t = 17.845, p = < 0.000), H4 (β = 0.54, t = 60.928, p= < 0.000), H5 (β = 0.553, t = 57.291, p = < 0.000), H6 (β = 0.559, t = 56.956, p = < 0.000), H7 (β = 0.358, t = 24.779, p = < 0.000), H8 (β = 0.259, t = 19.617, p = < 0.000) and H9 (β = 0.288, t = 19.92, p = < 0.000) results confirm the proposed hypothesis of the study.Conclusion: E-health apps are playing a vital role in maintaining an active lifestyle through physical activity. Fitness and health apps can promote physical activity and improve health-related quality of life. Results of the current study concluded that E-health apps are promising to promote physical activity and fitness during the COVID-19 preventive measures.Keywords: COVID-19, digital platforms, demographic characteristics, physical activity, Chinese people