Workplace Lifestyle Factors and Depressive Symptoms: A Study of Japanese Organizations | Chapter 6 | Disease and Health: Research Developments Vol. 5

Background: Mental illness, especially depression or the depressive state, inflicts great psychological distress on individuals and even entire neighborhoods and is a major problem influencing social life.

Aim: This study aims to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and lifestyle-related factors.

Methods: The information presented in this report was collected as part of the Northern-Japan Occupational Health Promotion Centers Collaboration Study for Mental Health (NOCS-MH) for the occupational health promotion centers of the six administrative divisions located in the prefectures of northern Japan (Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, and Yamagata prefectures). A total of 2,220 employees (1,069 for males and 1,151 for females) in Japan completed the screening test of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies   Depression Scale (CES-D). The cutoff point for the CES-D scores was 16 or above (high scorers). Statistical analyses were performed to analyse the collected data. 

Results: The identified factors that showed significant effect from the binomial multivariate logistic regression for high scorers were as follows: “habits of having breakfast” in all participants (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.64–0.95); “have good eating habits” in females (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.48–0.86) and all participants (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.62–0.91); “satisfaction with sleep” in males (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.37–0.64), females (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.36–0.61), and all participants (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.39–0.56); “smoking habits” in females (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.06–1.99); “daily alcohol consumption” in males (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.48–0.82) and all participants (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.52–0.78); “hypertension” in females (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.99); “periodontal disease” in all participants (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.00–2.34); “history of medication” in females (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.07–1.79) and all participants (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.07–1.55).

Conclusion: A healthy lifestyle was found to be a factor related to the depressive symptoms of the Japanese employees. The limitation of this study lies in its cross-sectional design, which makes it difficult to determine whether the correlation associated with psychological distress is an antecedent or a consequence of depressive symptoms. In order to make inferences with regard to causality, a longitudinal follow-up study will be needed in future. Future studies should focus on evaluating the importance of lifestyle in preventing depressive disorders.

 

Author (s) Details

 

Masahito Fushimi
Akita University Health Center, Akita City, Japan and Akita Occupational Health Promotion Center, Akita City, Japan.

 

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