Associations of kinesiophobia and exercise self-efficacy with weight status among middle school students in Yinchuan, China

YIN Ding; NA Dongxia; DU Pengying; WANG Hui; ZHANG Xiaoying

doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1304

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2026, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (10) : 1146-1150. DOI: 10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1304

Associations of kinesiophobia and exercise self-efficacy with weight status among middle school students in Yinchuan, China

YIN Ding¹, NA Dongxia², DU Pengying², WANG Hui³, ZHANG Xiaoying⁴

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Abstract

Objective To examine the associations of kinesiophobia and exercise self-efficacy with weight status among middle school students in Yinchuan,and to analyze the mediating effect of exercise self-efficacy and the moderating effects of relevant demographic factors, so as to provide evidence for adolescent weight management. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from September to October 2025 among 1 482 students in Grades 7-9 selected using multistage stratified cluster sampling. The Kinesiophobia Causes Scale and the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale were administered. Body mass index (BMI) was assessed, and demographic characteristics and dietary behaviours were collected. Correlation analysis, multivariable linear regression, and bootstrap mediation and moderation analyses with 5 000 resamples were performed. Results Kinesiophobia was positively associated with BMI (β=0.132, P<0.001). Exercise self-efficacy showed a partial mediating effect on this association, with an indirect effect of 0.039, accounting for 22.8% of the total effect (95%CI: 0.023-0.060). Sex moderated the association between exercise self-efficacy and BMI (β=-0.082, P=0.013), with a stronger negative association among girls. Parental educational attainment moderated the association between kinesiophobia and exercise self-efficacy (β=-0.105, P=0.004), with a stronger negative association among students whose parents' highest educational attainment was below senior high school. Age, residence place, and only-child status showed no significant moderating effects (P>0.05). Conclusions Kinesiophobia is directly associated with BMI and indirectly associated with BMI through exercise self-efficacy. Sex and parental educational attainment moderate these pathways.

Key words

weight / kinesiophobia / exercise self-efficacy / mediating effect / moderating effect

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YIN Ding, NA Dongxia, DU Pengying, WANG Hui, ZHANG Xiaoying. Associations of kinesiophobia and exercise self-efficacy with weight status among middle school students in Yinchuan, China[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2026, 34(10): 1146-1150 https://doi.org/10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1304

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