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The Individual-Level Productivity Costs of Physical Inactivity

Year of publication

2023

Authors

Kari, Jaana T.; Nerg, Iiro; Huikari, Sanna; Leinonen, Anna-Maiju; Nurkkala, Marjukka; Farrahi, Vahid; Korpelainen, Raija; Korhonen, Marko

Abstract

Purpose This study estimated the long-term individual-level productivity costs of physical inactivity. Methods The data were drawn from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, to which the productivity cost variables (sick leaves and disability pensions) from Finnish registries were linked. Individuals (N = 6,261) were categorized into physical activity groups based on their level of physical activity, which was measured in three ways: 1) self-reported leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at age 46, 2) longitudinal self-reported leisure-time MVPA at ages 31–46, and 3) accelerometer-measured overall MVPA at age 46. The human capital approach was applied to calculate the observed costs (years 2012–2020) and the expected costs (years 2012–2031). Results The results showed that the average individual-level productivity costs were higher among physically inactive compared with the costs among physically active. The results were consistent regardless of the measurement type of physical activity or the period used. On average, the observed long-term productivity costs among physically inactive individual were €1,900 higher based on self-reported MVPA, €1,800 higher based on longitudinal MVPA, and €4,300 higher based on accelerometer-measured MVPA compared with the corresponding productivity costs among physically active individuals. The corresponding difference in the expected costs were €2,800, €1,200, and €8,700, respectively. Conclusions The results provide evidence that productivity costs differ according to an individual’s level of physical activity. Therefore, investments in physical activity may decrease not only the direct healthcare costs but also the indirect productivity costs paid by the employee, the employer, and the government.
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Organizations and authors

University of Oulu

Korpelainen Raija Orcid -palvelun logo

Nurkkala Marjukka Orcid -palvelun logo

Kari Jaana

Leinonen Anna-Maiju

Farrahi Vahid

Korhonen Marko Orcid -palvelun logo

Huikari Sanna Orcid -palvelun logo

Nerg Iiro

Publication type

Publication format

Article

Parent publication type

Journal

Article type

Original article

Audience

Scientific

Peer-reviewed

Peer-Reviewed

MINEDU's publication type classification code

A1 Journal article (refereed), original research

Publication channel information

Volume

55

Issue

2

Pages

255-263

​Publication forum

63171

​Publication forum level

3

Open access

Open access in the publisher’s service

Yes

Open access of publication channel

Partially open publication channel

Self-archived

Yes

Other information

Fields of science

Public health care science, environmental and occupational health; Sport and fitness sciences; Economics

Keywords

[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Publication country

United States

Internationality of the publisher

International

Language

English

International co-publication

No

Co-publication with a company

No

DOI

10.1249/mss.0000000000003037

The publication is included in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Publication data collection

Yes