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Conducting Maximal and Submaximal Endurance Exercise Testing to Measure Physiological and Biological Responses to Acute Exercise in Humans
Published on: October 17, 2018
Exercise, physical activity, and exertion over the business cycle
1Pace University & National Bureau of Economic Research, Department of Economics, 41 Park Row, New York, NY 10038, USA.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|August 3, 2013
Summary
Economic downturns reduce total physical activity, as job losses decrease work exertion more than leisure activities increase. This decline disproportionately affects low-educated men and may worsen health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Economics
Background:
- Economic cycles influence individual time allocation and behavior.
- Previous research hypothesized but has not assessed the link between unemployment and health via physical activity.
- Understanding these behavioral shifts is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of economic business cycles on physical activity, time use, and exertion.
- To assess the relationship between unemployment, physical activity, and health outcomes.
- To examine demographic and intra-household variations in response to economic shifts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 112,000 individual records from the 2003-2010 American Time Use Surveys.
- Employed precise measures of exercise and other activities to quantify physical exertion.
- Analyzed changes in time use and physical activity during economic expansions and contractions.
Main Results:
- Recessions led to decreased work-related physical exertion due to job loss.
- Leisure activities like exercise, TV watching, sleeping, and housework increased, but did not offset reduced work exertion.
- Total physical exertion declined, with the most significant impact observed in low-educated men.
- Intra-household spillover effects were noted, where spousal employment shifts influenced individual behavior.
Conclusions:
- Economic recessions result in a net decrease in total physical activity, particularly impacting vulnerable populations like low-educated men in specific industries.
- The decline in physical activity during economic downturns may have long-term implications for obesity and related health issues.
- Further research is needed to understand the full health consequences of these cyclical changes in physical activity.
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