Abstract
A growing number of studies have revealed the association between health-related lifestyle habits and purpose in life. However, the mechanism linking the two has not been adequately understood. This study aims to examine the effect of changes in health-related lifestyle habits on purpose in life. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on certified professional specialists of health management. We analyzed the cohort’s demographic information, health-related lifestyle behaviors, reported changes in health-related lifestyle habits (exercise, diet, sleep, and other habits), and purpose in life using a validated tool (Ikigai-9). The cohort was divided into four groups based on the number of reported changes in health-related lifestyles. The purpose in life score was compared among the four groups with and without adjusting for lifestyle. In total, there were 4820 participants. The means (and SD) of the Ikigai-9 score for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 31.4 (6.6), 32.2 (5.6), 32.8 (5.8), and 34.9 (5.4), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the Ikigai-9 score among the groups. Healthier changes in lifestyle habits increased perceptions of purpose in life. Both purpose in life and health-related lifestyle habits might be the target factors for disease prevention and health promotion.
Highlights
Having a purpose in life is fundamental to humans
This study aims to examine the effect of reported changes in health-related lifestyle habits including diet, exercise, and sleep/rest on the purpose in life to better understand the link between health-related lifestyle behaviors and purpose in life
The main finding of this study was that individuals who reportedly improved their health-related lifestyle habits obtained a higher score on purpose in life
Summary
Having a purpose in life is fundamental to humans. Several benefits may be gained by enhancing one’s purpose in life [1,2] including the overcoming of physical and psychological disorders, reduction of mortality from multiple diseases, the improvement of health, and increases in life expectancy [3,4,5,6,7].Japan, one of the most rapidly aging nations in the world, faces the national issue of increased health care costs and the burden of nursing care for the elderly induced by lifestyle diseases [8]. Several benefits may be gained by enhancing one’s purpose in life [1,2] including the overcoming of physical and psychological disorders, reduction of mortality from multiple diseases, the improvement of health, and increases in life expectancy [3,4,5,6,7]. Ikigai in Japanese, is defined as something to live for, the joy and goal of living [7,9]. It is an important part of the HJ21 goals. Studies have showed that a higher sense of purpose in life is associated with low over-all and cause-specific mortality including cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease [7,9]
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