Table 4 Testing the Mediation effect of health-promoting lifestyles

Cognitive social capital → health-promoting lifestyles → frailty

Total effect, c

−0.221

0.037

−0.292 ~ − 0.146

< 0.001

Direct effect, c’

− 0.170

0.042

−0.252 ~ − 0.091

< 0.001

Indirect effect, a*b

− 0.052

0.016

− 0.084 ~ − 0.019

0.002

Ratio of indirect to total effect mediated (a*b/c)

23.5%

Cognitive social capital → health-promoting lifestyles →physical frailty

Total effect, c

−0.119

0.039

−0.194 ~ − 0.040

0.005

Direct effect, c’

− 0.066

0.044

− 0.152 ~ 0.019

0.123

Indirect effect, a*b

−0.053

0.017

−0.086 ~ − 0.020

0.002

Ratio of indirect to total effect mediated (a*b/c)

44.5%

Cognitive social capital → health-promoting lifestyles → psychological frailty

Total effect, c

−0.221

0.037

−0.293 ~ − 0.150

< 0.001

Direct effect, c’

− 0.170

0.042

− 0.257 ~ − 0.090

< 0.001

Indirect effect, a*b

−0.051

0.019

−0.090 ~ − 0.012

0.010

Ratio of indirect to total effect mediated (a*b/c)

23.1%

Cognitive social capital → health-promoting lifestyles → social frailty

Total effect, c

−0.172

0.043

−0.251 ~ − 0.084

< 0.001

Direct effect, c’

− 0.204

0.049

− 0.297 ~ − 0.107

< 0.001

Indirect effect, a*b

0.031

0.020

− 0.005 ~ 0.072

0.096

Ratio of indirect to total effect mediated (a*b/c)

NA