The Economic Choice of Participation and Time Spent in Physical Activity and Sport in Canada

Brad Humphreys and Jane Ruseski

No 2010-14, Working Papers from University of Alberta, Department of Economics

Abstract: The health benefits of participation in physical activity are well documented, yet the prevalence of meeting physical activity guidelines remains low. We examine the determinants of participation in physical activity in Canada by estimating double hurdle models of participation and time spent using data from the 2001 Canadian Community Health Survey (CHHS). We find higher income is associated with a higher probability of participating and less time spent in widely practiced sports like running and swimming, but the size of the income e ffect is relatively small. The hourly wage is generally positive and significant in both the participation and time spent equations suggesting a dominating income eff ect. Distinguishing between the extensive and intensive margins of the participation decision is important for untangling the eff ects of income, age, gender and family structure on these choices.

Keywords: sport participation; physical activity; time allocation; opportunity cost of time (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I18 J22 L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 34 pages
Date: 2010-08-26
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-spo
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (23)

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Journal Article: The Economic Choice of Participation and Time Spent in Physical Activity and Sport in Canada (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ris:albaec:2010_014

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