Feasibility Trial of Functional Clothing, Moderate Exercise, and Health Information for Stress Reduction and Behavior Change in Okinawa

Overview

This study is a pilot randomized trial conducted in Yomitan Village, Okinawa, Japan. The purpose is to evaluate whether three simple, low-cost interventions can help reduce stress and support healthy behavior change in community-dwelling adults. The interventions are: (1) providing health information through educational leaflets, (2) wearing functional clothing designed to support physical comfort, and (3) practicing moderate exercise using a simple manual. A total of 45 adults, aged 20 to 65 years, with overweight or pre-metabolic syndrome will be recruited. Participants will be assigned randomly into one of the three groups. The study duration is eight weeks. Outcomes include fatigue scores, mood states, sleep quality, and heart rate variability measured by a smart ring. Data will be collected at baseline and after eight weeks of intervention. This study aims to test whether these approaches are feasible, safe, and acceptable for residents. The results will help design larger studies in the future and provide evidence for community-based prevention programs that are easy to adopt in daily life.

Lifestyle-related diseases, including obesity and metabolic syndrome, are major health concerns worldwide. Stress and insufficient physical activity are important risk factors. Developing simple and sustainable interventions that can be adopted in daily life is essential for effective prevention. This feasibility trial compares functional clothing, moderate exercise, and health information in a community setting. The results will provide insight into feasibility, adherence, and potential effectiveness, forming the basis for future large-scale randomized controlled trials and community health programs.