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Health behaviors account for approximately half of the rural-urban gap in life satisfaction among graduate students at an elite Chinese university

In a cross-sectional survey of 497 graduate students at a Double First-Class university in China, rural-origin students scored 1.95 points lower on the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) than urban-origin peers after adjusting for sociodemographic covariates (p=0.003). Adding health behaviors (sleep, physical activity, insomnia) to the model reduced this gap by roughly half (p=0.088), with insomnia, physical activity, and sleep duration independently associated with life satisfaction.

Last updated: Aug 8, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Health behaviors, physical activity, and subjective well-being: rural-urban inequities among double first-class university graduate students in China.

observational

Li L, Zheng G · Frontiers in public health (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: N/A (cross-sectional)
Intervention: None (observational study); health behaviors measured included insomnia, sleep duration, and physical activity
Outcome: Life satisfaction measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)
Effect Size: Rural-origin coefficient reduction of ~50% (from 1.95 points to ~0.975 points, p=0.088)
Population: 497 master's and doctoral students at a Double First-Class university in eastern China

Result:

PubMed: 42553342DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1874749

Mechanism Graph

Rural-origin students face structural disadvantages (e.g., cultural and institutional barriers) that lower life satisfaction
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These disadvantages may lead to poorer health behaviors (e.g., less physical activity, worse sleep, more insomnia)
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Poor health behaviors directly reduce life satisfaction
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Health behaviors mediate approximately half of the rural-urban gap, while the other half persists independently

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
  • ⚠Self-reported measures (SWLS, IPAQ, sleep items) may introduce recall bias
  • ⚠Single university sample limits generalizability to other institutions or countries
  • ⚠Residual confounding from unmeasured variables (e.g., family income, social support) may explain the persistent gap

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the main finding regarding rural-urban differences in life satisfaction?▼

Rural-origin students scored 1.95 points lower on the SWLS than urban-origin peers, and this gap was reduced by about half when health behaviors were added to the model.

Which health behaviors were associated with life satisfaction?▼

Insomnia showed a graded negative association, while physical activity and sleep duration were independently associated with higher life satisfaction.

Did health behaviors fully explain the rural-urban gap?▼

No, they accounted for approximately half of the gap. The other half persisted, suggesting structural disadvantage has effects not reducible to individual health practices.

What interventions are suggested by the authors?▼

Campus interventions targeting sleep and physical activity are warranted, but addressing the remaining gap requires strategies that tackle cultural and institutional dimensions of rural-to-urban educational mobility.

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References

  1. 1.Li L, Zheng G. "Health behaviors, physical activity, and subjective well-being: rural-urban inequities among double first-class university graduate students in China.." Frontiers in public health, 2026. PMID: 42553342 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1874749
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.