Association between the Degree of Health and Food Stockpiling for Disaster among Japanese Adults

Natural disasters have occurred frequently in Japan and are currently the focus of much attention. The objective of this study is to investigate the association between the degree of health and food stockpiling for disasters across Japan. This study conducted an online survey from November 25 to 29, 2022, via a self-administered web-based questionnaire. The sample for this study consisted of 2,000 individuals over the age of 20 who registered with an online survey company. The associations between the degree of health and food stockpiling for disasters were analyzed (n=1,634). Only 11.9% of the participants had a high level of health, whereas 52.5% had a low level. Fewer than half of the participants had a middle level of health (35.6%). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between the degree of health and food stockpiling for disasters. The analysis revealed a significant positive association between the degree of health and food stockpiling behavior for disasters. The levels of health, physical health and social health were significantly positively related to food stockpiling. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on personality traits to promote food stockpiling for disasters. This study emphasized that the degree of health should receive more attention in research, which could help promote food stockpiling for disasters.