IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v8y2021i1d10.1057_s41599-021-00723-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Associations of physical activity in rural life with happiness and ikigai: a cross-sectional study

Author

Listed:
  • Keiko Kabasawa

    (Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences)

  • Junta Tanaka

    (Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences)

  • Yumi Ito

    (Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences)

  • Kinya Yoshida

    (Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences)

  • Kaori Kitamura

    (Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences)

  • Shoichiro Tsugane

    (National Cancer Center)

  • Kazutoshi Nakamura

    (Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences)

  • Ichiei Narita

    (Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
    Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences)

Abstract

Physical activity is associated with subjective well-being. In rural communities, however, physical activity may be affected by environmental factors (e.g., nature and socioecological factors). We examined the association of two physical activities in rural life (farming activity and snow removal) with subjective well-being in terms of happiness and ikigai (a Japanese word meaning purpose in life). In this cross-sectional study, we analysed data collected from community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 40 years in the 2012–2014 survey of the Uonuma cohort study, Niigata, Japan. Happiness (n = 31,848) and ikigai (n = 31,785) were evaluated with respect to farming activity from May through November and snow removal from December through April by using an ordinal logistic regression model with adjustments for potential confounders. The analyses were conducted in 2019. Among the participants who reported some farming or snow-removal time, median farming and snow-removal time (minutes per day) was 90.0 and 64.3 for men and 85.7 and 51.4 for women, respectively. Ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that longer time farming was associated with greater happiness and ikigai in men (adjusted odds ratio for first vs. fourth quartile: happiness = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01, 1.35; ikigai = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.10, 1.50), and also in women (adjusted odds ratio for first vs. fourth quartile: happiness = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.001, 1.36; ikigai = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.67). More snow-removal time was inversely associated with happiness and with ikigai in women only (adjusted odds ratio for first vs. fourth quartile: happiness = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.67, 0.85; ikigai = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.69, 0.88). Our findings showed that physical activity in rural life was associated with happiness and with ikigai, and gender differences were observed in their associations with more snow-removal time. These results may be useful in helping to identify people in rural communities who are vulnerable in terms of psychological well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Keiko Kabasawa & Junta Tanaka & Yumi Ito & Kinya Yoshida & Kaori Kitamura & Shoichiro Tsugane & Kazutoshi Nakamura & Ichiei Narita, 2021. "Associations of physical activity in rural life with happiness and ikigai: a cross-sectional study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:8:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-021-00723-y
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-021-00723-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-021-00723-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-021-00723-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. R. Veenhoven, 2008. "Healthy happiness: effects of happiness on physical health and the consequences for preventive health care," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(3), pages 449-469, September.
    2. Kurumi Tsuruta & Tomoko Shiomitsu & Amy Hombu & Yoshinori Fujii, 2019. "Relationship between social capital and happiness in a Japanese community: A cross‐sectional study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(2), pages 245-252, June.
    3. Michiko Kumano, 2018. "On the Concept of Well-Being in Japan: Feeling Shiawase as Hedonic Well-Being and Feeling Ikigai as Eudaimonic Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(2), pages 419-433, June.
    4. Oluwafunmilade Adesanya A. & Bomar Mendez Rojas & Amadou Darboe & Idrissa Beogo, 2017. "Socioeconomic differential in self-assessment of health and happiness in 5 African countries: Finding from World Value Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(11), pages 1-12, November.
    5. Johnson, Blair T. & Acabchuk, Rebecca L., 2018. "What are the keys to a longer, happier life? Answers from five decades of health psychology research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 218-226.
    6. Muntrer, P. & Gu, D. & Wildman, R.P. & Chen, J. & Qan, W. & Whelton, P.K. & He, J., 2005. "Prevalence of physical activity among Chinese adults: Results from the International Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Disease in Asia," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(9), pages 1631-1636.
    7. Andreja Brajša-Žganec & Marina Merkaš & Iva Šverko, 2011. "Quality of Life and Leisure Activities: How do Leisure Activities Contribute to Subjective Well-Being?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 102(1), pages 81-91, May.
    8. Borgonovi, Francesca, 2008. "Doing well by doing good. The relationship between formal volunteering and self-reported health and happiness," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(11), pages 2321-2334, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fiorillo, Damiano & Sabatini, Fabio, 2015. "Structural social capital and health in Italy," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 129-142.
    2. Yuri Sasaki & Yugo Shobugawa & Ikuma Nozaki & Daisuke Takagi & Yuiko Nagamine & Masafumi Funato & Yuki Chihara & Yuki Shirakura & Kay Thi Lwin & Poe Ei Zin & Thae Zarchi Bo & Tomofumi Sone & Hla Hla W, 2022. "Association between Happiness and Economic Status among Older Adults in Two Myanmar Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Hossain, Mahbub & Asadullah, M. Niaz & Kambhampati, Uma, 2019. "Empowerment and life satisfaction: Evidence from Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 170-183.
    4. Feng Hou, 2014. "Keep Up with the Joneses or Keep on as Their Neighbours: Life Satisfaction and Income in Canadian Urban Neighbourhoods," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1085-1107, October.
    5. Sergio Cocozza & Pier Luigi Sacco & Giuseppe Matarese & Gayle D. Maffulli & Nicola Maffulli & Donatella Tramontano, 2020. "Participation to Leisure Activities and Well-Being in a Group of Residents of Naples-Italy: The Role of Resilience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-17, March.
    6. Abel Brodeur, 2012. "Smoking, Income and Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Smoking Bans," Working Papers halshs-00664269, HAL.
    7. Thomas Akintayo & Niina Häkälä & Katja Ropponen & Elsa Paronen & Sari Rissanen, 2016. "Predictive Factors for Voluntary and/or Paid Work among Adults in their Sixties," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 1387-1404, September.
    8. Fatih Terzi & Handan Türkoğlu & Fulin Bölen & Perver Baran & Tayfun Salihoğlu, 2015. "Residents’ Perception of Cultural Activities as Quality of Life in Istanbul," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(1), pages 211-234, May.
    9. Change Zhu & Christine Walsh & Lulin Zhou & Xinjie Zhang, 2023. "Latent Classification Analysis of Leisure Activities and Their Impact on ADL, IADL and Cognitive Ability of Older Adults Based on CLHLS (2008–2018)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-19, January.
    10. Maria Pavlova & Rainer Silbereisen & Kamil Sijko, 2014. "Social Participation in Poland: Links to Emotional Well-Being and Risky Alcohol Consumption," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 29-44, May.
    11. Philipp Schulz & Julian Schulte & Sven Raube & Hala Disouky & Christian Kandler, 2018. "The Role of Leisure Interest and Engagement for Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1135-1150, April.
    12. Binder, Martin & Coad, Alex, 2013. "“I'm afraid I have bad news for you…” Estimating the impact of different health impairments on subjective well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 155-167.
    13. Ruut Veenhoven, 2011. "World Database of Happiness Example of a focused ‘Findings Archive’," RatSWD Working Papers 169, German Data Forum (RatSWD).
    14. Damiano Fiorillo & Nunzia Nappo, 2014. "Job satisfaction in Italy: individual characteristics and social relations," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 41(8), pages 683-704, August.
    15. Bruce Headey & Jongsay Yong, 2019. "Happiness and Longevity: Unhappy People Die Young, Otherwise Happiness Probably Makes No Difference," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 713-732, April.
    16. Ke-wei Wang & Zhan-kun Shu & Le Cai & Jun-Qing Wu & Wei Wei, 2013. "Assessment of the Magnitude of Contextual and Individual Demographic Effects on Diabetes Mellitus and Glucose Intolerance in Rural Southwest China: A Multilevel Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(7), pages 1-7, July.
    17. Idrissa Beogo & Amadou Darboe & Oluwafunmilade A Adesanya & Bomar Mendez Rojas, 2018. "Choosing between nurse-led and medical doctor-led from private for-profit versus non-for-profit health facilities: A household survey in urban Burkina Faso," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(7), pages 1-15, July.
    18. Ciorbagiu Ioana & Stoica Adrian, 2020. "The Importance Of Affective And Cognitive Dimensions Of Happiness - Analysis In European Countries," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 6, pages 138-148, December.
    19. Rui Guo & Xiaoying Liu & Hakjun Song, 2021. "Structural Relationships among Strategic Experiential Modules, Motivation, Serious Leisure, Satisfaction and Quality of Life in Bicycle Tourism," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-13, December.
    20. José Pais-Ribeiro & Alexandra Ferreira-Valente & Margarida Jarego & Elisabet Sánchez-Rodríguez & Jordi Miró, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal: Psychosocial and Health-Related Factors Associated with Psychological Discomfort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-13, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:8:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-021-00723-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.