We found that the higher-scoring clustered health-related lifestyle group showed a statistically significant higher purpose in life than the lower-scoring clustered health-related lifestyle group. The study also highlighted a significant positive association between the clustered health-related lifestyle score and the Ikigai-9 score. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first to show that a strong sense of purpose in life correlates with clustered health-related lifestyles in the context of a national health campaign. Several studies indicate a positive relationship between purpose in life and health-related lifestyles [1, 25,26,27]. Furthermore, many publications reveal a correlation between a single healthy habit and purpose in life. Therefore, our findings—that affirm a positive relationship between purpose in life and clustered health-related lifestyle—are consistent with previously reported results and help broaden the evidence of this association.
Exploring the mechanistic link of purpose in life with a healthy lifestyle may help us understand this relationship. While studies highlight the positive relationship between purpose in life and health-related lifestyle, a few studies’ results are inconsistent with our findings. For example, an existing prospective study did not observe a positive association between purpose in life and healthy sleep patterns [28]. In other studies, the purpose of life was not associated with smoking [29, 30]. Notably, the mechanistic link between health-related lifestyle and purpose in life has not been well examined. Hooker et al. proposed a hypothesized model linking purpose in life with health [31]. They summarized the relationship between life purpose and health outcomes by utilizing the concept of self-regulation. In the model, they proposed that life purpose influenced health through three self-regulatory processes and skills: stress-buffering, adaptive coping, and health behaviors. Health-related lifestyle, one of the self-regulatory processes, is the result of individuals setting goals, monitoring their progress, and using feedback to modify their lifestyle [31]. Thus, a purpose provides the foundation and motivation for engaging in a healthy lifestyle. Kim et al. also suggested that sense of purpose in life enhances the likelihood for engagement in restorative health-related lifestyle practices (e.g., physical activity, healthy sleep quality, use of preventive health care services) from cardiovascular disease to the indirect effect of behavior [32].
There is an alternative explanation for the mechanistic link between purpose in life and health-related lifestyle. A reverse causality model suggested that engaging in healthy lifestyle practices could predict a greater purpose in life [31, 33]. Our results denoted that the group with a higher score in purpose in life performed healthier lifestyle practices and behaviors (Table 2), which can be supported by either of the hypothesized models. Age statistically significantly influenced both lifestyle and purpose in life in this study, while gender did not. However, age did not change overall relation between lifestyle and purpose in life. This infers that age may act as a moderator on the association. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanism and the directionality of the association, including any modifying factors. The mechanism to explain the causal relationship between life purpose and healthy lifestyle practices helped prepare for healthy aging by preventing diseases, increasing health longevity, and imbuing a health-oriented drive, which are the major goals of the HJ21.
Additionally, the difference in life purpose scores between the two groups (35.3 vs 31.4), shown in Table 2, should be further explored, whilst we found a statistically significant difference and a correlation between healthy lifestyle practices and purpose in life. Rather than being a single concept, purpose in life has several elements and a more comprehensive construct. The majority of measurement tools concerned with meaning in life assess two distinct concepts: coherence and purpose [34]. Coherence is a sense of comprehensibility, or one’s life “making sense,” which is descriptive and value-neutral. Purpose means a sense of core goals, aims, and direction in one’s life, which is more evaluative and value-laden in concept. Ikigai is the Japanese concept meaning a sense of life worth living. The Ikigai-9 scale used in this study has three constructs for measuring the purpose in life; (1) optimistic and positive emotions toward life, (2) active and positive attitudes towards one’s life, and (3) acknowledgement of the meaning of one’s existence. The scale seems to measure more similarly to the purpose; however, the total score does not distinguish between the association of specific constructs and healthy lifestyle practices. Thus, further methodological sophistication regarding the evaluation of a specific concept encompassed within life purpose needs to be reached. This aspect broadens our understanding of purpose in life and its relation to health. This particular cohort of certified specialists shared many features of high health literacy through the process of professional development and certification, combined with life-long learning and activities related to their role as health management specialists. Further, health-related lifestyle practices mean that the certified specialists were far healthier than the national average. These characteristics represent an individual’s health literacy. Health literacy is considered to be an individuals’ capacity to obtain and understand basic health information and services and to make appropriate health-related decisions based on this information [35]. Therefore, health literacy is directly associated with disease mortality [36], overall health status [37], disease prevention [38, 39], and health behaviors. These can be attributed to purpose in life [2].
Thus, health literacy and health-related lifestyle appear to have a similar relationship with disease prevention and better health outcomes. The mediating effect of health literacy on the relationship between healthy lifestyle and life purpose should be investigated. Such inquiries in a prospective cohort study can better explain the mechanism of the causal link between purpose in life, health-related lifestyle, and health literacy.
Limitations
There are several limitations to this study. First, all the measurements were self-reported, which can be a source of bias. Second, while the survey questionnaires are widely used in national health promotion, they have not been fully validated. Third, the real-life meaning of purpose in life has not been determined yet. The Ikigai-9 score, one of the tools used to measure the life purpose score, was validated in a small and limited population; however, the instrument may not capture it holistically. This limitation was implicated by the previously reported systematic review. Furthermore, Zheng et al. found variability in the strength of correlation among the questionnaire for quality of life, part of which included questions regarding a purposeful life [40]. Lastly, the correlational analysis did not include an adjustment for confounding factors other than age. Hence, little is known about factors influencing the relationship between a healthy lifestyle and purpose in life. We need to establish other potential influencing factors and determine which variables have mediating, moderating, and confounding effects on purpose in life to understand the causal relationship between healthy lifestyle practices and life purpose [41]. This exploration proposes a promising model for future intervention programs.
Strengths
Despite these limitations, this study has several strengths. First, the study sample size, N = 4820, was large and distributed throughout Japan. This aspect of the study increases generalizability. According to the previous review, numerous studies on purpose in life focused on older adults [42], whereas only a few were concerned with younger or middle-aged adults. In the present study, the majority of the participants were younger and middle-aged adults. Second, previous studies used relatively simple questions or did not employ validated tools to measure purpose in life. However, we used a validated tool, Ikigai-9, in this study. This aspect allows the study results to increase the reliability and validity of the measurement of purpose in life and also hold applicability in other studies. Lastly, study participants were certified specialists in health management who have shown high health literacy. This inclusion criterion provides guidance on improving healthy lifestyle practices through health literacy as an approach to health promotion.