Mechanistic study of the effects of perceived community environment, high-intensity physical activity and public depressive status

Depression is a growing global public health concern, with community environments and physical activity being recognized as key factors influencing mental health. However, the specific mechanisms through which community environment perceptions (CEP) affect engagement in high-intensity physical exercise (HPE) and depressive state (DS) remain underexplored. This study aims to examine the relationships between CEP, HPE, and DS, and to uncover the underlying pathways that link these variables. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the study analyzes data from a diverse sample to assess the direct and indirect effects of ecological (EEP), survival (SEP), and living environment perceptions (LEP) on DS. The results indicate that EEP directly alleviates depressive state, while SEP reduces DS by discouraging engagement in HPE. In contrast, LEP promotes HPE, which in turn intensifies DS, highlighting a potential paradox in well-perceived living environments. Moreover, HPE itself was found to have a significant positive effect on DS, exacerbating DS when performed at high intensity. These findings offer new insights into the complex interactions between community environment, physical activity, and mental health. They provide valuable guidance for future research and for the development of community-based interventions aimed at reducing depression by considering both environmental and behavioral factors.