New Delhi: An international study analysing over three lakh real-time mood reports has found that everyday physical activity is linked to improved mood and positive emotions, while people are also more likely to stay active when they feel better.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, were based on data collected from more than 8,000 participants through smartphones and wearable devices by 67 research groups worldwide.

Researchers from institutions including Ruhr University Bochum examined how people felt and moved during routine activities such as walking, climbing stairs and household work.

The study found that physical activity was positively associated with energetic arousal, positive emotional states and overall mood, while energy levels showed the strongest relationship with exercise. More than 95 per cent of participants reported increased energy during periods of activity.

The researchers also observed that individuals with lower levels of well-being experienced the greatest benefits from physical activity.

Co-author Amanda Staiano of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center said the study highlighted the importance of understanding health behaviour in real-world settings.

The researchers said the findings reinforce evidence from earlier laboratory and short-term studies linking physical activity with improved well-being, while noting that further research is needed to determine causality and understand individual differences in response to exercise.