This Girl Can? The Effect of Promoting Physical Activity on Health Outcomes

Colin Green (), John Heywood and Maria Paniagua ()
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Colin Green: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Maria Paniagua: Lancaster University

No 18472, IZA Discussion Papers from IZA Network @ LISER

Abstract: Physical activity likely improves health. Yet, even as health outcomes are positively associated with physical activity, confounding bias exists. We examine a large-scale government campaign to encourage physical activity among women in the United Kingdom as a source of an exogenous increase. Our difference-in-differences estimates confirm a large increase in activity associated with the campaign. We use this as the basis of IV estimation indicating that physical activity leads to a reduction in BMI and a lower chance of obesity, but we find no change in other health conditions over our four-year window. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Keywords: public service campaign; physical activity; women’s health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D90 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-03
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