Health behavior of working-aged Finns predicts self-reported life satisfaction in a population-based 9-years follow-up

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown positive association between health behavior and life satisfaction, but the studies have mostly been cross-sectional, had follow-up times up to 5 years or focused on only one health behavior domain. The aim of the study was to explore how principal health behavior domains predict life satisfaction as a composite score in a previously unexplored longitudinal setting. METHODS: The present study tested whether a health behavior sum score (range 0–4) comprising of dietary habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity predicted subsequent composite score of life satisfaction (range 4–20). Data included responses from 11,000 working-age Finns who participated in the Health and Social Support (HeSSup) prospective population-based postal survey. RESULTS: Protective health behavior in 2003 predicted (p < .001) better life satisfaction 9 years later when sex, age, education, major diseases, and baseline life satisfaction were controlled for. The β in the linear regression model was − 0.24 (p < .001) corresponding to a difference of 0.96 points in life satisfaction between individuals having the best and worst health behavior. CONCLUSION: Good health behavior has a long-term beneficial impact on subsequent life satisfaction. This knowledge could strengthen the motivation for improvement of health behavior particularly on an individual level but also on a policy level. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11796-4.