The associations between lifestyles and mental health using the General Health Questionnaire 12-items are different dependently on age and sex: a population-based cross-sectional study in Kanazawa, Japan.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine potential differences of the associations between mental health and lifestyle factors across a wide range of age.


METHODS
In August/September 2011, data were collected from 4693 males (age 51.6 ± 19.5) and 5678 females (age 52.4 ± 19.4) living in Kanazawa, Japan. A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted with self-administered questionnaire including the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) 12-item version, sociodemographic, and lifestyle factors. Associations between the GHQ scores and other variables were examined using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by multiple comparisons and logistic regression stratified by age and gender.


RESULTS
Multiple comparisons indicated that people aged 20-39 or 40-64 had higher GHQ scores than older aged. The two-way ANOVA revealed significant interaction between body mass index and age group, and between exercise and age group. Overweight or underweight males aged 40-64 had poorer mental health than those at normal weight. In the elderly, being underweight was significantly associated with poor mental health. There were no significant effects of exercise on mental health for young adults. The logistic regression showed significant negative effects of short-time sleep in adults.


CONCLUSIONS
The associations between mental health and lifestyles differ across age groups. Further study is needed to reveal effects of aging on lifestyle and mental health with a longitudinal design.
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan. hori_d@mbr.nifty.com.
Daisuke
D
Hori
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Hiromasa
H
Tsujiguchi
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Yasuhiro
Y
Kambayashi
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Toshio
T
Hamagishi
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Masami
M
Kitaoka
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Junko
J
Mitoma
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Hiroki
H
Asakura
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Fumihiko
F
Suzuki
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Enoch Olando
EO
Anyenda
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Thao Thi Thu
TT
Nguyen
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Yuri
Y
Hibino
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Aki
A
Shibata
Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, School of Human Environmental Sciences, Mukogawa Women's University, Nishinomiya, Japan.
Koichi
K
Hayashi
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Takiko
T
Sagara
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
Shinichiro
S
Sasahara
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
Ichiyo
I
Matsuzaki
Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Kotaro
K
Hatta
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Fukui University School of Medicine, Yoshida-gun, Japan.
Tadashi
T
Konoshita
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, 920-8640, Kanazawa, Japan.
Hiroyuki
H
Nakamura
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Aging; Cross sectional; Lifestyle; Mental health; The General Health Questionnaire