Is it pleasure or health from leisure that we benefit from most? An analysis of well-being alternatives and implications for policy

Downward, Paul and Dawson, Peter (2016) Is it pleasure or health from leisure that we benefit from most? An analysis of well-being alternatives and implications for policy. Social Indicators Research, 126 (1). pp. 443-465. ISSN 0303-8300

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Abstract

International policy now constantly advocates a need for populations to engage in more physical activity to promote health and to reduce society’s health care costs. Such policy has developed guidelines on recommended levels and intensity of physical activity and implicitly equates health with well-being. It is assumed that individual, and hence social welfare will be enhanced if the activity guidelines are met. This paper challenges that claim and raises questions for public policy priorities. Using an instrumental variable analysis to value the well-being from active leisure, it is shown that the well-being experienced from active leisure that is not of a recommended intensity to generate health benefits, perhaps due to its social, recreational or fun purpose, has a higher value of well-being than active leisure that does meet the guidelines. This suggests rethinking the motivation and foundation of existing policy and perhaps a realignment of priorities towards activity that has a greater contribution to social welfare through its intrinsic fun and possibly social interaction.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	subjective well being,happiness,health,active leisure,sports
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Economics
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Applied Econometrics And Finance Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Behavioural Economics
Related URLs:	http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11205-...
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	18 Feb 2016 13:00
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2022 02:35
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/57175
DOI:	10.1007/s11205-015-0887-8

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