Watching sports and subsequent health and well-being in older adults: a longitudinal outcome-wide study

Background: Although watching sports has increasingly been associated with mental health benefits among older adults, its broader implications, positive and negative, across diverse health and well-being outcomes remain unclear. This longitudinal study examined the associations between sports watching and subsequent health and well-being outcomes among older adults. Methods: We analyzed three-wave data (2016, 2019, and 2022) from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (n = 5226 or 6975, depending on the outcome). The exposure was watching sports on-site and via television/internet in 2019. In 2022, 47 health and well-being outcomes across seven domains were assessed. Analyses adjusted for pre-baseline covariates, including corresponding outcome values from 2016. Results: Among 5226 participants, 1260 (24.1 %) reported watching sports on-site at least once per year, and 4155 (79.5 %) reported watching via television or the internet. On-site watching (a few times per year) and media-based watching (regardless of frequency) were associated with a reduced risk of worsening depressive symptoms. Both forms were positively associated with social well-being indicators, including participation in sports groups and the number of friends seen. No significant associations were observed for health behavior outcomes. However, frequent on-site watching was associated with an increased risk of dementia. Conclusions: Watching sports, on-site or via media, was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and enhanced social well-being in older adults. However, no associations were found with health behaviors, and frequent on-site watching may elevate dementia risk. These findings highlight the need to balance the benefits and risks of sports watching in healthy aging strategies.