Relationship between Ikigai and longitudinal changes in serum HDL cholesterol levels: the Circulatory Risk in...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Psychological Well-being
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Positive psychological well-being is linked to serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC).
• No prior longitudinal studies have investigated the association between Ikigai and serum HDLC.
• This study addresses the gap by examining Ikigai's impact on HDLC over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal association between Ikigai and serum HDLC levels.
• To determine if Ikigai influences changes in serum HDLC over an eight-year period.
• To explore potential sex differences in the Ikigai-HDLC relationship.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a cohort dataset from 2010-2018, including 471 men and 776 women aged 40-74.
• Assessed Ikigai levels using self-reported categories: "with Ikigai," "with a little Ikigai," and "without Ikigai."
• Measured serum HDLC using direct methods and analyzed data with linear mixed-effect models.

Main Results:

• Women with Ikigai exhibited significantly higher baseline serum HDLC compared to those without Ikigai.
• These differences in serum HDLC among women with Ikigai were sustained throughout the eight-year follow-up.
• No significant association between Ikigai and serum HDLC levels was observed in men.

Conclusions:

• A sense of Ikigai in women is associated with higher serum HDLC levels.
• This association in women remains consistent over an eight-year observational period.
• The findings suggest a potential sex-specific relationship between psychological well-being (Ikigai) and cardiovascular biomarkers (HDLC).