Manuscript_JPH_2nd rev_Paul.pdf (60.47 kB)
Download fileDoes government spending help to promote healthy behavior in the population? Evidence from 27 European countries
journal contribution
posted on 2015-08-05, 08:44 authored by Fernando Lera-Lopez, Pamela Wicker, Paul DownwardPaul DownwardBackground The aim of this study was to examine if government spending is associated with an individual’s decision to participate in physical
activity and sport which is regarded as healthy behavior given the positive health effects documented in previous research.
Methods Individual-level data (n ¼ 25 243) containing socio-demographic information are combined with national-level data on government
spending (5-year average) in 27 European countries. Given the hierarchical data structure, i.e. individuals are nested within countries; multi-level
analyses are applied.
Results The multi-level models show that it is mainly education spending that has a significant positive association with participation in sport of
various regularities. Health spending has some association with participation in other physical activity and sport of a lower regularity.
Conclusions While health spending can be considered a relevant policy tool for increasing sport participation rates, education spending is
required more since the effects are larger and it affects both physical activity and sport. This suggests that health spending will have most effect
combined with earlier influences from education spending.
History
School
- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences