抄録
The number of patients with lifestyle-related diseases is still high. The prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases require the coordination of various lifestyle improvement activities. In particular, diet-related initiatives have attracted a great deal of attention in all generations and are relatively easy to implement. Improving the health awareness of local residents and establishing a healthy diet will facilitate the prevention and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases. Therefore, it is important for local residents to cooperate and revitalize their communities to actively address local issues.
We have shown that “sticky barley” (white fiber, a new variety of Japanese Sweet Barley) developed by Nagano Agricultural Experiment Station can have health benefits. Furthermore, the utilization of domestic sticky barley in industry, including expansion of production and its application, will lead to regional revitalization because sticky barley can be cultivated on degraded land, and subsequent food processing, distribution, and sales will support diversified businesses and facilitate sixth sector industrialization. We are currently developing regional revitalization activities that involve local specialty products and cultural activities in areas with intermediate mountain ranges, based on promoting the eating and cultivation of sticky barley.
Support of an environment where residents can voluntarily participate in various activities, such as industry–academia–government collaboration projects in which educational and research institutions, universities and private companies may collaborate on research and development, is being promoted. This leads to creation of new businesses that promote a community-based system for sustainable lifestyle-related disease prevention leading to societal enrichment. Encouraging local residents to think of their place in daily life and work as a place of research and development focusing on health promotion (i.e., a lab), a place to obtain and analyze data, and a place to become involved in creating new ideas, will promote the development of a living healthcare lab where new value can be created.
