# Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Body Fat, and Physical Activity as Predictors of Life Satisfaction in Teachers and Preschool Education Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Rated Health

## TL;DR

This study explores how physical fitness, body fat, and activity levels relate to life satisfaction in education students, with self-rated health playing a key role.

## Contribution

It identifies self-rated health as a strong mediator of life satisfaction and shows physical activity's small but significant impact.

## Key findings

- Self-rated health explains 17.2% of the variance in life satisfaction.
- Moderate and total physical activity show small but significant associations with life satisfaction.
- Vigorous physical activity and body fat percentage do not significantly correlate with life satisfaction.

## Abstract

Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue?
Examines life satisfaction and self-rated health as widely recognized public health indicators of future health-related behaviors in students preparing for teacher and preschool education professions.Focuses on future educators who represent an important group for shaping children’s health behaviors and lifestyle patterns in early childhood.

Examines life satisfaction and self-rated health as widely recognized public health indicators of future health-related behaviors in students preparing for teacher and preschool education professions.

Focuses on future educators who represent an important group for shaping children’s health behaviors and lifestyle patterns in early childhood.

Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health?
Shows that self-rated health explains substantial variance in life satisfaction (17.2%), confirming its central role as a practical public health indicator.Demonstrates that overall and moderate physical activity are associated with life satisfaction with small but statistically significant effects (ΔR2 ≈ 2%), supporting public health recommendations to promote physical activity levels for mental well-being.

Shows that self-rated health explains substantial variance in life satisfaction (17.2%), confirming its central role as a practical public health indicator.

Demonstrates that overall and moderate physical activity are associated with life satisfaction with small but statistically significant effects (ΔR2 ≈ 2%), supporting public health recommendations to promote physical activity levels for mental well-being.

Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policymakers, and/or researchers in public health?
Suggests potential benefits from strengthening health promotion, physical activity education, and health psychology content in teacher and preschool education programs.Indicates that improving health perception and physical activity habits in future educators may contribute to healthier environments for children and support long-term public health goals.

Suggests potential benefits from strengthening health promotion, physical activity education, and health psychology content in teacher and preschool education programs.

Indicates that improving health perception and physical activity habits in future educators may contribute to healthier environments for children and support long-term public health goals.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the associations of physiological (VO2max), morphological (body fat percentage), and behavioral factors (physical activity levels) with life satisfaction among teacher education and preschool education students, with a particular focus on self-rated health as a potential statistical mediator. Methods: The sample consisted of 228 students (95% female; mean age = 21.96 ± 4.24 years). Life satisfaction was assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), self-rated health (SRH) with a single-item measure of general health, physical activity (PA) with the IPAQ-SF questionnaire, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max estimate) with the 20 m shuttle run test, and body fat percentage (BF%) with a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and mediation models with the PROCESS macro (Model 4). Results: SRH accounted for 17.2% of the variance in life satisfaction, emerging as the strongest correlate relative to physiological and morphological indicators. In the primary regression model, total PA accounted for an additional 2.3% of explained variance, whereas in a secondary parallel model, moderate PA accounted for 2.2%. Vigorous PA was not a significant correlate. Mediation analyses indicated that VO2max was not directly associated with life satisfaction but showed a statistically significant indirect association through SRH. No significant indirect associations were found for BF%, individual activity intensities, or total PA. Conclusions: The results highlight the relevance of perceptual and behavioral health indicators in understanding the relationships among PA, physical fitness, and psychological well-being in this student population. The findings provide preliminary insight into how multiple health-related dimensions may relate to life satisfaction, underscoring the need for longitudinal research before more confident interpretations of practical relevance can be made.