A Psychological Model of Self-Reported Physical Health in Insufficiently Active Adults: The Roles of Mindfulness, Body Image, and Perceived Social Acceptance

Abstract

To test a cross-sectional structural model linking mindfulness and perceived social acceptance with self-reported physical health, directly and indirectly through body image, among insufficiently active adults. This descriptive-correlational study included 400 adults aged 18–59 years in Tehran, Iran, recruited through multistage cluster sampling in 2026. Insufficient physical activity was defined as <600 MET-min/week on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form. Mindfulness, body image, perceived social acceptance, and self-reported physical health were assessed using questionnaires. The hypothesized pathways were tested using structural equation modeling in SPSS and AMOS; indirect effects were evaluated with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Body image was the strongest direct correlate of physical health (β = .43). Mindfulness and perceived social acceptance were positively associated with body image (β = .39 and β = .32, respectively), and both had smaller direct associations with physical health (β = .18 and β = .13). The standardized indirect effects through body image were .168 (95% CI [.120, .224]) for mindfulness and .138 (95% CI [.094, .188]) for social acceptance. The model accounted for 34% of the variance in body image and 48% of the variance in physical health and showed acceptable fit (χ²/df = 2.18, CFI = .941, TLI = .933, RMSEA = .055, SRMR = .052). In this cross-sectional sample, mindfulness and perceived social acceptance were associated with better self-reported physical health partly through more favorable body image. Longitudinal research using objective health and activity measures is required before causal or intervention claims can be made.