Beyond Borders: Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 Anxiety and Eating Attitudes on Psychological Well-Being and Physical Activity Objectives in Poland and China

The mechanisms linking eating attitudes to well-being and physical activity objectives have increasingly attracted the attention of researchers in recent years. This research is particularly significant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has profoundly disrupted eating habits, exercise routines, and psychosocial well-being across the globe. Additionally, these variables are influenced by cultural dimensions, such as individualism in Poland and collectivism in China. These two countries represent distinct approaches to social health and well-being during the pandemic, offering valuable comparative insights into how cultural contexts shape mental and physical health behaviors; Methods: The study included 644 Polish and 690 Chinese participants. It utilized the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS), the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), and the Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives (IPAO); Results: The results indicate that both COVID-19 anxiety and eating attitudes fully mediate the relationship between well-being and physical activity objectives. Full mediation implies that the observed relationship between well-being and physical activity objectives operates entirely through the mediators. Notably, the mediating effect of COVID-19 anxiety was observed only in the Chinese sample, highlighting cultural differences in coping mechanisms and societal responses to anxiety. Cultural differences significantly influenced well-being and physical activity objectives, while eating disorders remained unaffected by cultural and social differences. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between COVID-19 anxiety, eating attitudes, and health-related physical activity objectives, underscoring the interplay between mental health and physical activity; Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of addressing anxiety and eating attitudes to enhance well-being and physical activity behaviors. The study provides a strong theoretical basis for targeted interventions tailored to cultural contexts. Potential limitations include the reliance on self-reported data and differences in demographic characteristics between the Polish and Chinese samples, which may affect generalizability.