Age Differences in Health Behavior and Weight Changes in Japanese Workers 1-Year Follow-Up Study

Objective: To examine 1-year changes in stage of health behavior change and its associations with changes in health behavior and weight in a working population cohort. Methods: Using annual health examination data, 57,431 eligible Japanese workers aged 18 to 64 years were examined for their 1-year changes in stage of change, eating and exercise habits, and weight. Results: The stages of change became polarized into the precontemplation and the action/ maintenance ( ie, post-action) and became stabilized with increasing age. The 1-year change in stage of change was accompanied by changes in eating and exercise habits and weight. Conclusions: The age-dependent tendency towards bipolarization and stabilization of stages of change suggested that workplace health promotion interventions for facilitating health behavior changes should be started at younger ages.