Copyright (c) PNG Publications. All rights reserved. Delivered by Ingenta to IP: 91.243.90.63 on: Fri, 06 Dec 2019 02:08:13 100 H ealth habits, such as exercise, nonsmoking, and consuming a healthy diet are associat- ed in older adults, as well as in younger and middle-aged adults, with lower rates of chronic dis- ease, 1 disability, 1 and mortality, 2,3 and higher rates of psychological well-being. 4 Te dissemination of healthy habits is an important aspect of promoting later-life mental and physical health, because many older adults do not incorporate healthy habits into their lifestyle. 5-7 Terefore, exploration of factors related to later-life health habits is needed to estab- lish their difusion methods. Tis study focuses on health habits in social networks over the life course as factors relating to late-life health habits. Social-cognitive theory emphasizes the importance of social networks, 8,9 which can infuence health habits through mech- anisms such as social control, social support, and social modeling efects. 10,11 Empirical studies have explored mechanisms of the infuence of social net- works on late-life health habits, mainly focusing on social control 12-15 and social support. 16-19 Although only a few studies have focused on social models as mechanisms of infuence on late-life health hab- its, 11,19 these studies indicate that social modeling has an infuence of late-life health habits as well as Hidehiro Sugisawa, Institute for Gerontology, J. F. Oberlin University, Tokyo, Japan. Ken Harada, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jissen Women’s University, Tokyo, Japan. Yoko Sugihara, Graduate School of Urban Environment Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan. Shizuko Yanagisawa, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima-shi, Japan. Masaya Shimmei, Institute for Future Engineering, Tokyo, Japan. Correspondence Dr Sugisawa; sugisawa@obirin.ac.jp Social Networks’ Health Habits Over Life Course and Late-life Health Habits Hidehiro Sugisawa, PhD Ken Harada, PhD Yoko Sugihara, PhD Shizuko Yanagisawa, PhD Masaya Shimmei, PhD Objectives: In this study, we examined Japanese older adults’ health habits (healthy diet, exer- cise, and nonsmoking) using 4 models: sensitive period, pathway, social mobility, and cumula- tive efects. Methods: A representative cross-sectional survey of people 65 years and older, liv- ing in Tokyo, produced 739 efective respondents. Health habits in social networks over the life course, at junior high school, age 20, and age 40, were measured through retrospective recall questions. Ordinary regression and logistic regression were used separately to analyze healthy diet and exercise/nonsmoking. Results: Regarding pathway efects, standardized coefcients of indirect health habits in social networks on late-life health habits were healthy diet = .073 (p < .05) and exercise = .125 (p < .001). Regarding social mobility efects, standardized coefcients of change to poorer health habits in social networks over the life course on late-life health habits, compared to maintaining healthy habits were healthy diet = -.121 (p < .01) and exercise e= -.235 (p < .05). Regarding cumulative efects, standardized coefcients of no exposure to better health habits in social networks over the life course were healthy diet = -0.103 (p < .01) and exercise = -.395 (p < .01). Conclusions: Three models – pathway, social mobility, and cumulative efects – may explain how healthy diet and exercise in social networks over the life course infuence these health habits in later life. Key words: life course; exercise; nonsmoking; dietary habits; social network; Japanese context Am J Health Behav.™ 2020;44(1):100-117 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.44.1.11