Effects of a Lifestyle-Based Physical Activity Intervention on Medical Expenditure in Japanese Adults: A Community-Based Retrospective Study

Abstract EN

Background.

This study aimed to investigate whether a lifestyle-based physical activity program could contribute to reduced medical expenditure.

Methods.

The study participants were 60 adults aged 63.1 (standard deviation, 4.4) years in the intervention group; the case-control group consisted of 300 adults who were randomly selected from Japan’s national health insurance system.

This community-based retrospective study incorporated a 3-year follow-up.

Results.

The total and outpatient medical expenditure in the intervention group were significantly lower than in the control group: total expenditure, $US640.4/year; outpatient expenditure, $369.1/year.

The odds ratio for outpatient visiting was 6.47-fold higher in the control than in the intervention group.

Conclusion.

Our study suggests that a health program to promote physical activity can result in reduced total medical expenditure, outpatient medical expenditure, and possibly also inpatient medical expenditure.