Living Lab for Citizens' Wellness: A Case of Maintaining and Improving a Healthy Diet under the COVID-19 Pandemic

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 23;19(3):1254. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031254.

Abstract

The establishment and implementation of a healthy lifestyle is fundamental to public health and is an important issue for working-aged people, as it affects not only them but also the future generations. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated behavioural restrictions, lifestyles have altered, and, in certain environments, significantly worsened. In the present study, we conducted a project to improve the intestinal environment by focussing on the dietary habits of participants, utilising the living laboratory as a social technology to explore how to adapt to this drastic environmental change. We held eight workshops for voluntary participants and implemented a self-monitoring process of recording dietary behaviours (n = 78) and testing the intestinal environment (n = 14). Through this initiative, we developed a personalised wellness enhancement programme based on collaboration with multiple stakeholders and a framework for using personal data for research and practical purposes. These results provide an approach for promoting voluntary participation and behavioural changes among people, especially under the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a practical basis for the government, academia, and industry to intervene effectively in raising people's awareness of health and wellness.

Keywords: intestinal environment; living lab; local government; metabolomics; public health; wellness.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19*
  • Diet, Healthy
  • Humans
  • Laboratories
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • SARS-CoV-2