Peer attachment and exercise motivation associated with exercise habits in sedentary university students: a gender-based moderated mediation model

Despite the increasing prevalence of sedentary behavior among college students, the formation and maintenance of regular exercise habits remain challenging. Existing studies suggest that peer attachment (PA) may be associated with exercise motivation (EM), which in turn is linked to exercise habits (EH). However, evidence regarding the direct and indirect associations among PA, EM, and EH, as well as potential gender differences in these associations, remains limited among sedentary university students. This study aimed to examine the direct association between PA and EH, the indirect association through EM, and whether these associations differed by gender in this population. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 470 college students (248 females, 222 males) who met the sedentary behavior criterion, defined as sitting more than six hours per day. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess PA, EM, and EH. Mediation analysis was conducted using Model 4 of the SPSS PROCESSv4.2 to examine the indirect association, while Model 59 was applied to assess whether gender moderated the mediation pathway. PA was positively associated with the relative autonomy index (RAI) ( p = 0.0004), and higher RAI scores were associated with established EH ( p < 0.001). The indirect association between PA and EH through the RAI was statistically significant. Gender moderated the direct association between PA and EH, whereas the index of moderated mediation was non-significant, indicating no reliable gender difference in the indirect association. These findings suggest a structural relationship among PA, EM, and EH, with observable gender differences in the pattern of associations. Among sedentary college students who maintain regular exercise habits, males may rely more directly on peer relationships, whereas females may engage in such habits more strongly through motivational pathways. These results highlight the value of incorporating gender-sensitive motivational strategies in the design of physical activity interventions targeting sedentary college populations.