The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian example
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical inactivity has major impacts on health and productivity. Our aim was to estimate the health and economic benefits of reducing the prevalence of physical inactivity in the 2008 Australian adult population. The economic benefi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2011-09-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Online Access: | http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/8/1/99 |
| _version_ | 1819030410253828096 |
|---|---|
| author | Cumming Toby B Cadilhac Dominique A Sheppard Lauren Pearce Dora C Carter Rob Magnus Anne |
| author_facet | Cumming Toby B Cadilhac Dominique A Sheppard Lauren Pearce Dora C Carter Rob Magnus Anne |
| author_sort | Cumming Toby B |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical inactivity has major impacts on health and productivity. Our aim was to estimate the health and economic benefits of reducing the prevalence of physical inactivity in the 2008 Australian adult population. The economic benefits were estimated as 'opportunity cost savings', which represent resources utilized in the treatment of preventable disease that are potentially available for re-direction to another purpose from fewer incident cases of disease occurring in communities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Simulation models were developed to show the effect of a 10% feasible, reduction target for physical inactivity from current Australian levels (70%). Lifetime cohort health benefits were estimated as fewer incident cases of inactivity-related diseases; deaths; and Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) by age and sex. Opportunity costs were estimated as health sector cost impacts, as well as paid and unpaid production gains and leisure impacts from fewer disease events associated with reduced physical inactivity. Workforce production gains were estimated by comparing surveyed participation and absenteeism rates of physically active and inactive adults, and valued using the friction cost approach. The impact of an improvement in health status on unpaid household production and leisure time were modeled from time use survey data, as applied to the exposed and non-exposed population subgroups and valued by suitable proxy. Potential costs associated with interventions to increase physical activity were not included. Multivariable uncertainty analyses and univariate sensitivity analyses were undertaken to provide information on the strength of the conclusions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A 10% reduction in physical inactivity would result in 6,000 fewer incident cases of disease, 2,000 fewer deaths, 25,000 fewer DALYs and provide gains in working days (114,000), days of home-based production (180,000) while conferring a AUD96 million reduction in health sector costs. Lifetime potential opportunity cost savings in workforce production (AUD12 million), home-based production (AUD71 million) and leisure-based production (AUD79 million) was estimated (total AUD162 million 95% uncertainty interval AUD136 million, AUD196 million).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Opportunity cost savings and health benefits conservatively estimated from a reduction in population-level physical inactivity may be substantial. The largest savings will benefit individuals in the form of unpaid production and leisure gains, followed by the health sector, business and government.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:29:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-05f05b09605c48cfb9e092d2a4d83c82 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:29:43Z |
| publishDate | 2011-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-05f05b09605c48cfb9e092d2a4d83c822022-12-21T19:13:01ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682011-09-01819910.1186/1479-5868-8-99The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian exampleCumming Toby BCadilhac Dominique ASheppard LaurenPearce Dora CCarter RobMagnus Anne<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical inactivity has major impacts on health and productivity. Our aim was to estimate the health and economic benefits of reducing the prevalence of physical inactivity in the 2008 Australian adult population. The economic benefits were estimated as 'opportunity cost savings', which represent resources utilized in the treatment of preventable disease that are potentially available for re-direction to another purpose from fewer incident cases of disease occurring in communities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Simulation models were developed to show the effect of a 10% feasible, reduction target for physical inactivity from current Australian levels (70%). Lifetime cohort health benefits were estimated as fewer incident cases of inactivity-related diseases; deaths; and Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) by age and sex. Opportunity costs were estimated as health sector cost impacts, as well as paid and unpaid production gains and leisure impacts from fewer disease events associated with reduced physical inactivity. Workforce production gains were estimated by comparing surveyed participation and absenteeism rates of physically active and inactive adults, and valued using the friction cost approach. The impact of an improvement in health status on unpaid household production and leisure time were modeled from time use survey data, as applied to the exposed and non-exposed population subgroups and valued by suitable proxy. Potential costs associated with interventions to increase physical activity were not included. Multivariable uncertainty analyses and univariate sensitivity analyses were undertaken to provide information on the strength of the conclusions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A 10% reduction in physical inactivity would result in 6,000 fewer incident cases of disease, 2,000 fewer deaths, 25,000 fewer DALYs and provide gains in working days (114,000), days of home-based production (180,000) while conferring a AUD96 million reduction in health sector costs. Lifetime potential opportunity cost savings in workforce production (AUD12 million), home-based production (AUD71 million) and leisure-based production (AUD79 million) was estimated (total AUD162 million 95% uncertainty interval AUD136 million, AUD196 million).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Opportunity cost savings and health benefits conservatively estimated from a reduction in population-level physical inactivity may be substantial. The largest savings will benefit individuals in the form of unpaid production and leisure gains, followed by the health sector, business and government.</p>http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/8/1/99 |
| spellingShingle | Cumming Toby B Cadilhac Dominique A Sheppard Lauren Pearce Dora C Carter Rob Magnus Anne The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian example International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| title | The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian example |
| title_full | The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian example |
| title_fullStr | The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian example |
| title_full_unstemmed | The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian example |
| title_short | The economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity: an Australian example |
| title_sort | economic benefits of reducing physical inactivity an australian example |
| url | http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/8/1/99 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cummingtobyb theeconomicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT cadilhacdominiquea theeconomicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT sheppardlauren theeconomicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT pearcedorac theeconomicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT carterrob theeconomicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT magnusanne theeconomicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT cummingtobyb economicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT cadilhacdominiquea economicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT sheppardlauren economicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT pearcedorac economicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT carterrob economicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample AT magnusanne economicbenefitsofreducingphysicalinactivityanaustralianexample |