JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Exercise prescription by physicians is beneficial for initiating or intensifying physical activity. However, providing specific exercise prescriptions is challenging; therefore, few physicians prescribe exercise.

Objective:

This study aimed to aid physicians prescribe exercise by understanding trends in exercise preferences based on sex, age, and environmental factors and to encourage behavioral changes in both patients who cannot exercise and doctors who cannot prescribe exercise.

Methods:

Search keyword volume was collected from Yahoo! JAPAN from January to December 2022. Ten exercise-related terms were analyzed to assess exercise interest. Total search volume, sex and age percentages, as well as characteristic score, were considered based on prefecture. By performing hierarchical cluster analysis, regional features were examined, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to assess relationships with population and industry data.

Results:

The top-searched term was “Pilates” (266,000 queries). Sex differences revealed men showing higher interest in activities, such as “running” (62%) and “muscle training” (59%), than women. However, women exhibited higher interest in “Pilates” (75%) and “yoga” (74%) than men. Based on age, both men and women in their 40s dominated the search. Hierarchical cluster analysis using a characteristic score as a variable classified prefectures into four clusters. The characteristics of these clusters were as follows: Cluster 1 had the largest population and a thriving tertiary industry, and individuals tended to search for Pilates and yoga. Following Cluster 1, Cluster 2, with its substantial population, had a thriving secondary industry, with searches for radio gymnastics and exercise bike. Cluster 4 had a small population, a thriving primary industry, and the least searched for any term. The population of Cluster 3 was similar to that of Cluster 4, but with more secondary industries.

Conclusions:

Men tend to search for self-improvement through individual-centered activities, such as running, whereas women are more inclined to search for exercises, such as Pilates, to enhance their health. Despite the high search volume among individuals in their 40s, their actual exercise habits are low among those in their 30s–50s. Search volumes for instructor-led exercises are higher in Cluster 1 areas than in other cluster areas, but the total number of searches decreases as the community size decreases. These results suggest that trends in search behavior depending on sex, age, and environment are important when prescribing exercise for effective behavioral changes.