AUTHOR=Wei Wei , Su Ronghai , Lin Chen , Meng Meng , Zheng Rongrong 

TITLE=Online Fitness Content as a behavioral catalyst: extending the Theory of Planned Behavior to unmask time-dependent effects on resistance training engagement

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1575832

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1575832

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=IntroductionResistance training plays a vital role in promoting physical and mental health among university students. However, approximately three-quarters of students globally fail to meet recommended guidelines, with a significant intention-behavior gap persisting. Based on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, this study aimed to examine the dual-chain mediating effects of Online Fitness Content (OFC) on students’ resistance training behavior through Planning (PL) and Positive Emotion (PE), and to test the suppressing effect of Consumption Time (CT).MethodA stratified random sampling method was administered to 356 college students (60.39% male, 39.61% female) regularly engaged in resistance training across 17 Chinese universities. Structural Equation Modeling (AMOS 20.0) was employed to analyze the chain mediation pathways, with multi-group comparisons testing the moderating effect of CT.ResultsThe core TPB variables (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control) significantly predicted intention (path coefficients: 0.265–0.494, p < 0.01), and intention significantly predicted behavior (β = 0.229, p = 0.032). OFC demonstrated significant dual-path mediation effects through both PL (β = 1.215, p = 0.001) and PE (β = 1.074, p = 0.001). The key finding revealed a suppressing effect when daily usage exceeded 30 min: the path effect from OFC to PL attenuated by 72% (β > 1 h = 0.192 vs. β < 1 h = 1.145), the path effect from OFC to PE attenuated by 73% (β > 1 h = 0.301 vs. β < 1 h = 1.101), and the direct effect of OFC on behavior became significantly negative (β > 1 h = −0.690, p < 0.05).DiscussionThe study demonstrates that OFC serves as an effective digital mediator in bridging the intention-behavior gap in university students’ resistance training, but its efficacy exhibits a critical threshold (30 minutes/day). Future health communication should optimize content distribution strategies and implement CT control mechanisms to achieve sustainable behavior change.