Effect of watching professional baseball at a stadium on health-related outcomes among Japanese older adults: A randomized controlled trial

Aim: Watching sports at stadiums can have a favorable impact on health-related outcomes in older adults. We examined the effect of watching professional baseball at a ballpark on older adults’ health-related outcomes. Methods: A total fo 58 participants aged 65–85 years were randomized into a spectator group (n = 29) and waiting-list group (n = 29). During the 2-month intervention, there were 21 games. The spectator group watched games at the ballpark, and the waiting-list group maintained their daily routines. The health-related outcomes were executive and cognitive functions, health-related quality of life, depression symptoms, subjective happiness and physical activity. Results: The median days watching baseball games in the spectator group was 6 days (interquartile range 4–10 days). Executive function using the reverse Stroop interference rate showed a non-significant trend of improvement in the spectator group compared with the waiting-list group (P = 0.063). The spectator group showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms compared with the waiting-list group (P = 0.016). Conclusions: Regularly watching professional baseball at a ballpark reduced older adults’ depression symptoms. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 717–722.