The Influence of a Multimodal Health Program with Diet, Art, and Biofield Therapy on the Quality of Life of People in Japan

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether the frequency of the practice of each of diet, art, and biofield therapy influences improvement in quality of life (QOL), and to examine whether the simultaneous practice of all three components increasingly improves QOL in a real-world setting.

Design: Pre-post-test design using convenience sampling methods.

Setting: Home setting.

Subjects: A total of 4681 individuals aged 16 years or older who answered the questionnaire appropriately.

Intervention: Participants agreed to practice the three components daily and self-evaluated the frequency of their weekly practice for three consecutive months. At the beginning and end of the study, they completed the MOA quality-of-life questionnaire (10-item MOA quality-of-life questionnaire [MQL-10]).

Outcome measures: Factors associated with the increase in MQL-10 scores for each component, and the relationship between the simultaneous practice of multiple components and the changes in MQL-10 scores were analyzed.

Results: Frequent practice of the diet and/or art components was associated with an increase in the term-end MQL-10 score (p < 0.001); however, receiving biofield therapy frequently was not. Participants' age, gender, and qualification as a practitioner of biofield therapy had no relationship with changes in scores, but the reasons for participation had a significant influence on changes in scores (p < 0.001). Participants who initially did not practice any components frequently but who subsequently increased the number of components and frequency of each practice had a higher likelihood of exhibiting an increase in the term-end score (p < 0.01). Participants who initially practiced all three components frequently but later decreased the number of components practiced frequently had a lower chance of increase and a higher risk of decrease in scores (p < 0.01).

Conclusions: The data suggest that the frequent practice of the diet and art components is associated with improvement in QOL. Simultaneous practice of diet, art, and biofield therapy is more likely to improve QOL. ( ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01927250).

Keywords: art therapy; biofield therapy; diet; health program; integrative approach; quality of life.

FIG. 1.

Flow chart and grouping by the practice of the Okada Health and Wellness Program: each component. OPT, Okada Purifying Therapy.

FIG. 2.

Flow chart and grouping by the practice of the Okada Health and Wellness Program: combination of three components. compo., component(s); F, frequent practice; IF, infrequent practice; L, less frequent practice; M, more frequent practice; N, no change.

FIG. 3.

Change in the MQL-10 score between the subgroups of (A) diet, (B) art, and (C) OPT components. IF-L/N, those who infrequently practiced initially and less frequently practiced or no change afterward; IF-M, those who infrequently practiced initially and more frequently practiced afterward; F-L, those who frequently practiced initially and less frequently practiced afterward; F-M/N, those who frequently practiced initially and more frequently practiced or no change afterward, *p < 0.0083 by the Mann-Whitney test. F, frequent practice; IF, infrequent practice; L, less frequent practice; M, more frequent practice; MQL-10, 10-item MOA quality-of-life questionnaire; N, no change; OPT, Okada Purifying Therapy.

FIG. 4.

Change in the MQL-10 score between the subgroups of (A) all IF group and (B) all F group. Among participants who did not frequently practice any components initially, M-0, those who did not subsequently practice any components more frequently; M-1, those who subsequently practiced one component more frequently; M-2, those who subsequently practiced two components more frequently; and M-3, those who subsequently practiced all three components more frequently. Among participants who frequently practiced all three components initially, L-0, those who did not subsequently practice any components less frequently; L-1, those who subsequently practiced one component less frequently; L-2, those who subsequently practiced two components less frequently; and L-3, those who subsequently practiced all three components less frequently, *p < 0.0083 by the Mann-Whitney test. F, frequent practice; IF, infrequent practice; L, less frequent practice; M, more frequent practice; MQL-10, 10-item MOA quality-of-life questionnaire.