From behavior to belonging: reframing exercise participation as a psychosocial pathway to active aging

Traditional public health approaches often conceptualize physical exercise as a behavioral determinant of physical health. Yet, the psychosocial mechanisms through which exercise participation enhances wellbeing in later life remain insufficiently understood. This study reframes exercise participation as a psychosocial ecosystem that simultaneously fulfills eudaimonic (psychological) and relational (social) needs, promoting active aging through interconnected mental and social pathways. Drawing on eudaimonic wellbeing theory and the social ecology of aging, we tested a dual-mediation model linking exercise participation, psychological wellbeing, social connectedness, and life satisfaction among 412 older adults in South Korea. Structural equation modeling confirmed that exercise participation enhanced life satisfaction both directly and indirectly via psychological wellbeing (β = 0.20, p < 0.001) and social connectedness (β = 0.17, p < 0.001). These psychosocial mediators accounted for 43% of the total effect, underscoring the interdependence of emotional and social health in later life. The findings advance active-aging research by bridging behavioral health and social integration theories, positioning exercise as a public health catalyst for mental resilience and social cohesion. Public health strategies should therefore integrate psychological empowerment and social inclusion within community-based exercise initiatives to foster eudaimonic wellbeing and social vitality among aging populations.