How digital lifestyles transform women’s exercise participation: a mixed methods study from China
Jing Huang, Kailin Wu, Qinghao Guan, Qing Liu, Yifan Zuo · Frontiers in Psychology · 2026
Introduction: Digital technologies are transforming women's access to physical exercise, yet empirical evidence from non-Western contexts remains limited. This study examines whether digital lifestyle is associated with women's exercise participation in China and whether this association differs across socio-demographic groups.
Methods: We used a mixed-
methods
Design: . Study 1 analysed data from 4,469 women in the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) using regression and heterogeneity analyses. A composite Digital Lifestyle Index was constructed from internet-use indicators. Study 2 involved 12 in-depth interviews analysed with grounded theory to uncover underlying mechanisms.
Results: < 0.01), but did not vary by age, marital status, education, or region. Qualitative
Findings: show that digital platforms create flexible access, foster social support, and build health knowledge, gradually internalising exercise into daily habits.
Discussion: Digital lifestyles can empower women's exercise participation but benefits are unevenly distributed across urban-rural and hukou divides. Policies should address infrastructure and literacy gaps to ensure equitable access, extending feminist and field theories to the digital health context.