Watching sports and happiness among older adults in Japan: The JAGES cohort study

Kenjiro Kawaguchi, Kazushige Ide, Satoru Kanamori, Taishi Tsuji and Katsunori Kondo

PLOS ONE, 2025, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: Objective: While watching sports may enhance older adults’ happiness, the relationship between sports spectatorship and happiness may vary depending on on-site or TV/Internet. This study examined associations between different forms of sports spectatorship (on-site and TV/Internet) and happiness among older adults in Japan. Methods: We used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, conducted in 2019 and 2022. The outcome variable was happiness, and the explanatory variables were watching sports on-site, watching professional sports on-site, and watching sports on TV/Internet. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the association between watching sports and happiness, after adjusting for potential confounders. A modified Poisson regression analysis was performed for the binarized outcome with a cutoff of 8 points. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on sports club participation, age, and sex. Results: Watching sports on-site a few times annually was associated with higher happiness scores (B: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.19) and a higher prevalence of happiness (PR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.12) than not watching sports. Similar results were observed when the participants watched professional sports a few times annually (B: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.22; PR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.12). No significant associations were found between watching sports on TV/Internet and happiness. The associations were more pronounced among participants who did not participate in sports clubs, males, and those aged

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0320213

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0320213

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