DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN RUSSIA: THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL TIME PREFERENCES

Abstract

Social policy includes such components as health care, education, physical activity, and sports, where the state acts not only as a financier, but also as a provider of services. Studying the determinants of physical activity makes it possible to identify the set of social policy measures aimed at the formation of a healthy lifestyle. Among the determinants of physical activity, there are socioeconomic characteristics of an individual, such as age, gender, health status, income level, marital and employment status. There is also an individual trend for a healthy lifestyle, or to refuse it, which was formed because of the influence of the environment, education, and personal beliefs. The purpose of this article is to examine the influence of individual time preferences on physical activity. Physical activity is monitored using physical exercises and walking indicators. The proxy for individual time preferences is individual discount rate. This rate is determined using a hypothetical money experiment. Individuals with a higher individual discount rate demonstrate impatience in obtaining utility from consumption. They are not ready to take health-improving actions. The study is carried out on the data of a special survey of the Levada Center dedicated to a healthy lifestyle of the Russian population in 2017. The main hypothesis is tested by estimating the system of binary equations. Individuals with higher individual discount rate are less likely to engage in physical exercises for health purposes. The findings provide additional information for the development of public policy measures aimed at creating healthy lifestyle.