Abstract:
Physical inactivity is an increasing public policy issue throughout the United States. This study examines whether physical inactivity, and other wellness indicators, have an impact on the Human Development Index (HDI) of a county. The variables examined are percent of the population that is physically inactive, percent of the population that is obese, percent of population with access to exercise opportunities, number of fast food restaurants per 1000 population, percent of population that is African American, and percent of population that is Hispanic. We find that the percent of the population that is inactive and percent of the population that is obese both have a negative impact on the HDI of a county. The number of fast food restaurants per 1000 has a positive impact on the HDI of a county. None of the other variables used have a significant impact on HDI. Together, the three significant variables can explain about 43.5% of the variation in HDI.
