Prospective Study of Engagement in Leisure Activities and All-Cause Mortality Among Older Japanese Adults
Open Access
- 1 June 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Japan Epidemiological Association in Journal of Epidemiology
- Vol. 32 (6), 245-253
- https://doi.org/10.2188/jea.JE20200427
Abstract
Background: Engagement in leisure activities among older people is associated with a lower risk of mortality. However, no studies have been conducted focusing on the difference of associations with mortality risk among multiple types of leisure activities. Methods: We examined prospectively the association of engagement in leisure activities with all-cause mortality in a cohort of older Japanese adults. The Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study included 48,216 participants aged 65 years or older. During a mean follow-up period of 5.6 years, we observed 5,575 deaths (11.6%). We investigated the total number of leisure activities, as well as combinations of 25 different leisure activities with Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results: We found a linear relationship between the total number of leisure activities and mortality hazard (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.92-0.95). Furthermore, engagement in leisure activities involving physical activity, as well as group-based interactions, showed the strongest associations with lowered mortality. By contrast, engagement in cultural leisure activities and solitary leisure activities were not associated with all-cause mortality. Conclusion: Although we cannot rule out residual confounding, our findings suggest that encouraging engagement in physically-active group-based leisure activities may promote longevity in older adults.This publication has 52 references indexed in Scilit:
- A Review of the Effects of Physical Activity and Exercise on Cognitive and Brain Functions in Older AdultsJournal of Aging Research, 2013
- Personality and All-Cause Mortality: Individual-Participant Meta-Analysis of 3,947 Deaths in 76,150 AdultsAmerican Journal of Epidemiology, 2013
- Relationship of Hobby Activities With Mortality and Frailty Among Community-Dwelling Elderly Adults: Results of a Follow-up Study in JapanJournal of Epidemiology, 2012
- Low Health Literacy and Health Outcomes: An Updated Systematic ReviewAnnals of Internal Medicine, 2011
- Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic ReviewPLoS Medicine, 2010
- Engagement in cultural activities and cause-specific mortality: Prospective cohort studyPreventive Medicine, 2009
- Physical activity and colon cancer prevention: a meta-analysisBritish Journal of Cancer, 2009
- Leisure Activities and MortalityJournal of Aging and Health, 2008
- Leisure Participation and Enjoyment Among the Elderly: Individual Characteristics and SociabilityEducational Gerontology, 2008
- Association of physical activity with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysisEuropean Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2008