The Association Between Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in China Overweight College Students: The Mediating Role of Anxiety

In recent years, scholars have paid more attention to the rise of anxiety and poor sleep quality among overweight college students. This study explored how physical activity, anxiety, and sleep quality are related in this group. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires and analyzed using correlation tests, regression models, and the Bootstrap method. The analysis showed that students with higher physical activity tended to have better sleep quality. It also revealed that anxiety partly explained this link: more physical activity was linked to less anxiety, while higher anxiety was linked to worse sleep. Further mediation analysis confirmed that physical activity improved sleep quality not only on its own but also by reducing anxiety. These results provide both theoretical and practical support for encouraging physical activity and using cognitive–behavioral approaches to help overweight college students sleep better.