Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/215295 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 12899
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper examines the role physical activity plays in determining body mass using data from the American Time Use Survey. Our work is the first to address the measurement error that arises when time use during a single day – rather than average daily time use over an extended period – is used as an explanatory variable. We show that failing to account for day-to-day variation in activities results in the effects of time use on a typical day being understated. Furthermore, we account for the possibility that physical activity and body mass are jointly determined by implementing Lewbel's instrumental variables estimator that exploits first-stage heteroskedasticity rather than traditional exclusion restrictions. Our results suggest that, on average, physical activity reduces body mass by less than would be predicted by simple calorie expenditure-to-weight formulas, implying compensatory behavior such as increased caloric intake.
Subjects: 
obesity
weight
exercise
physical activity
heteroskedasticity
JEL: 
I10
C21
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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