LTPA, health, happiness

Expanding research has
found that participating in leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is associated
with individual well-being; however an understanding of precisely how LTPA
influences happiness is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate if
LTPA participation is directly related to a subjective assessment of happiness,
and whether perceptions of individual health mediate the relationship. A sample of adults (N = 415) was surveyed in Phoenix,
Arizona to gather information related to self-reported LTPA in the neighborhood,
and perceptions of health and happiness. A structural equation modeling (SEM)
analysis was conducted to examine the direct influence of LTPA on happiness,
and the mediating effect of health on the association. Results indicated that health
fully mediated the relationship (β = 0.256; p < .001). These findings provide encouraging evidence that engaging in
LTPA in the neighborhood has the potential to positively impact subjective
happiness due to its contribution to perception of good health.