Abstract

STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING HEALTH AND REDUCING MEDICAL EXPENSES IN JAPAN USING PURPOSE IN LIFE/IKIGAI, MODERATE EXERCISE, AND A WELL-BALANCED DIET

*Riichiro Ishida

ABSTRACT

[Purpose] This study attempted to clarify correlations of age, life expectancy, and anxiety to disease, mortality, and medical expenses in consideration of the modern daily lifestyle in Japan. [Methods] Time series data for each variable were collected from Japanese public institutes, such as the Japanese government. One-sample t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, and Kendall correlation analyses were performed to clarify differences and correlations between each variable. [Results] Having external sources of happiness, including a “happy family circle” and “meeting and discussing ideas with friends and acquaintances” was found to be significantly more related to higher levels of happiness compared to internal sources of happiness, including “devotion to study and culture” and “devotion to hobby and sports” (p

Keywords: stress, disease, evolutionary medicine, prefrontal lobe function, purpose in life/Ikigai, epigenome changes.