{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T16:44:43Z","timestamp":1791996283755,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":65,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]],"date-time":"2025-08-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754006400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>As China\u2019s population aging intensifies, older adults face growing health risks. Internet use, social interaction, and physical exercise significantly impact their health. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of these variables on older adults health.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study used data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), involving 3,150 urban and rural older adults aged 60\u201398. The dependent variable was health status, measured by a composite score of self-assessed health, physical health, and mental health. Internet use served as the independent variable. Social interaction and physical exercise were the mediators. A chain mediation model linking internet use, social interaction, physical exercise, and health status was created. The relationships between these factors were tested using Pearson correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and Bootstrap.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Result<\/jats:title><jats:p>Internet use demonstrated a significant positive impact on older adults\u2019 health status (<jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.086, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001), which supports the hypothesis that Internet use improves health outcomes. The total indirect effect of the chain mediation model was 0.0165 (95% CI\u202f=\u202f[0.0103, 0.0239]). Specifically, the indirect effect of the path Internet use \u2192 social interaction \u2192 health status was 0.0080 (95% CI\u202f=\u202f[0.0037, 0.0131]), the indirect effect of the path Internet use \u2192 physical exercise \u2192 health status was 0.0077 (95% CI\u202f=\u202f[0.0035, 0.0126]), and the indirect effect of the path Internet use \u2192 social interaction \u2192 physical exercise \u2192 health status was 0.0009 (95% CI\u202f=\u202f[0.0004, 0.0016]). Social interaction and physical exercise partially and chain-mediate the relationship between Internet use and health status in older adults.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study reveals that internet use significantly impacts older adults\u2019 health both directly and indirectly through enhanced social interaction and physical exercise. The government should promote internet adoption among older adults, especially in underserved rural and low-income areas, by enhancing infrastructure and offering inclusive digital training. Additionally, financial support and policy incentives should be provided to encourage the development of age-friendly applications focused on social interaction and sports. Policymakers should advance the integration of internet services with geriatric health policies to enhance overall well-being.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1603406","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]],"date-time":"2025-08-01T05:34:11Z","timestamp":1754026451000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["The impact of internet use on the health status of the older adults in China: a chain mediating model of social interaction and physical exercise"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Jiangwei","family":"Hu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Haoxian","family":"Mai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chunyun","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yingying","family":"Du","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"126","DOI":"10.1016\/j.technovation.2013.09.010","article-title":"Predictors of gerontechnology acceptance by older Hong Kong Chinese","volume":"34","author":"Chen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Technovation"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.5582\/bst.2022.01068","article-title":"Current state of care for the elderly in China in the context of an aging population","volume":"16","author":"Bao","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biosci Trends"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3238","DOI":"10.3969\/j.issn.1005-9202.2018.13.066","article-title":"The relationship between loneliness and social care and health self-assessment among older adults in the community","volume":"38","author":"Zhu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Chin J Gerontol"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"739","DOI":"10.3969\/j.issn.1000-6729.2021.09.007","article-title":"Relationship between physical exercise and mental health among the urban and rural community's younger elderly","volume":"35","author":"Hu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Chin Ment Health J"},{"key":"ref5","article-title":"The 54th China internet development status report [Internet]. 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