Gardening and Multidimensional Well-being among Older Adults in Tokyo, Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background Well-being, encompassing psychological, social, and physical dimensions, is vital for healthy ageing. The concept of flourishing provides a comprehensive framework that integrates multiple domains essential for overall well-being. Gardening, a multicomponent activity, has been associated with well-being; however, few studies have comprehensively assessed associations with multidimensional well-being. This study examined the association between gardening and flourishing among older adults in Tokyo. Methods In 2023, a postal survey was conducted among 2,088 adults aged ≥65 years (mean age: 74.8 ± 6.2 years) in Tokyo. Gardening status was categorised as gardening or non-gardening. 12 items were used to assess key domains of individual flourishing: (1) happiness and life satisfaction, (2) mental and physical health, (3) meaning and purpose, (4) character and virtue, (5) close social relationships, (6) financial and material stability. Overall flourishing was calculated as the average of domains 1-5, while secure flourishing included all six domains. Covariates included sex, age, education, income, marital status, employment and housing type. Multiple imputation was used for missing data. Associations were estimated using robust regression models with Bonferroni correction, and standardised coefficients (β) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results 46.6% of the participants were gardeners. Gardening was positively associated with all flourishing domains: 1: β = 0.36 (95% CI: 0.16-0.55), 2: 0.28 (0.10-0.47), 3: 0.38 (0.18-0.57), 4: 0.45 (0.26-0.64), 5: 0.38 (0.18-0.58), and 6: 0.38 (0.14-0.62). Gardeners also had significantly higher overall flourishing: 0.37 (0.18-0.55) and secure flourishing: 0.36 (0.18-0.55) than non-gardeners. All associations remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions Overall, gardening was associated with better multidimensional well-being, including flourishing outcomes among older adults in Tokyo. Key messages • Gardening was associated with higher scores across all flourishing domains, including overall and secure flourishing, among older adults. • Gardening could support multidimensional well-being, including flourishing in ageing populations.