Correlation Analysis Between Lifestyle Habits (Including Motivation to Improve) Using NDB Open Data Japan: Aiming for Use in Health Support at Pharmacies

Abstract

We have been holding “health fairs” at pharmacies with the aim of improving lifestyle habits. It is difficult for participants to improve these habits, and support from pharmacies is required. One possible reason for this is a lack of evidence to persuade participants to improve their lifestyle habits. However, in recent years, medical big data has been developed and accumulated. The National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB) collects data on insurance medical receipts (diseases) and specific health checkups (lifestyle habits and other information for approximately 30 million people). In this study, we aimed to clarify the correlation among “lifestyle habits” (including motivation to improve) using NDB Open Data Japan. Our results suggest that people do not exercise because they have good lifestyle habits; people who have problems with their eating habits or body mass index (BMI) are more motivated to exercise, although there are differences between men and women. We also found that “being able to eat just about anything” or “eating slowly” correlated to a decrease in BMI ≥25 kg/m² and an increase in BMI 18.5 to <25 kg/m². This suggests the importance of the dental area of mastication in BMI changes. In the future, we plan to provide health support in collaboration with the dental field. Correlation and causation are different, so further study is needed, but this study shows that the NDB can be useful in health support for individuals and society.