Urban green spaces and healthy aging: the role of physical activity

Background Against the backdrop of ongoing urban renewal and the Healthy China initiative, examining the relationship between urban green spaces, physical activity, and healthy aging among residents holds significant importance for advancing urban health transformation and refining public health governance systems. Methods Utilising provincial panel data from 28 Chinese provinces spanning 2010–2023, this study employed a two-way fixed effects model and mediation analysis to examine the statistical association between urban green spaces, physical activity, and healthy aging, along with their behavioural transmission pathways, while conducting robustness tests. Results (1) Urban green spaces levels were significantly positively correlated with healthy aging among residents (β = 0.122, p < 0.01). (2) Urban green spaces was significantly positively correlated with residents’ physical activity levels (β = 0.029, 95% CI [0.006, 0.053], p < 0.05). (3) Physical activity exhibited a partial mediating pathway between urban green spaces and residents’ healthy aging. Physical activity was significantly positively correlated with residents’ healthy aging (β = 0.695, 95% CI [0.303, 1.087], p < 0.01); the total effect of urban green spaces on healthy aging was significantly positively correlated (β = 0.122, 95% CI [0.048, 0.196], p < 0.01), with a significant positive direct effect (β = 0.102, 95% CI [0.027, 0.177], p < 0.01) and a statistically significant indirect effect (β = 0.020, 95% CI [0.002, 0.039], p < 0.05). (4) Significant regional differences emerged across income levels. In high-income areas, urban green spaces exhibited a significant positive correlation with healthy aging (β = 0.178, p < 0.01); in low-income areas, this relationship failed to reach statistical significance (β = 0.026, p > 0.10). Concurrently, physical activity exhibited a significant positive correlation with healthy aging in both income categories, though its effect was stronger in low-income areas (low-income areas: β = 0.750, p < 0.05; high-income areas: β = 0.678, p < 0.05). Conclusion Urban green spaces not only directly promote healthy aging but also exert an indirect effect by enhancing physical activity levels. This study elucidates the associative mechanisms linking urban green spaces, physical activity, and healthy aging, providing empirical evidence for optimising urban green space development, promoting resident physical activity engagement, and refining policies related to healthy aging.