Fig. 1

Conceptual model depicting the hypothesized associations between the variables¹. ¹Hypothesis 1: Leisure time physical activity will be related to reduced mortality rates; Hypothesis 2: Heart failure status will moderate the relationship between leisure time physical activity and mortality, such that heart failure patients will benefit more than HF-free patients; Hypothesis 3: Depression will moderate the relationship between leisure time physical activity and mortality, such that patients with high scores will benefit more than patients with low depression scores; Hypothesis 4: Social support will moderate the relationship between leisure time physical activity and mortality, such that patients with low scores will benefit more than patients with high social support scores; Hypothesis 5: Patients with HF, high depression scores and/or low social support scores will perform less leisure time physical activity