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Climate change may alter human physical activity patterns

Author

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  • Nick Obradovich

    (Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
    Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307, USA)

  • James H. Fowler

    (University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
    University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.)

Abstract

Regular physical activity supports healthy human functioning1–3. Might climate change—by modifying the environmental determinants of human physical activity—alter exercise rates in the future4? Here we conduct an empirical investigation of the relationship between meteorological conditions, physical activity and future climate change. Using data on reported participation in recreational physical activity from over 1.9 million US survey respondents between 2002 and 2012, coupled with daily meteorological data, we show that both cold and acutely hot temperatures, as well as precipitation days, reduce physical activity. We combine our historical estimates with output from 21 climate models and project the possible physical activity effects of future climatic changes by 2050 and 2099. Our projection indicates that warming over the course of this century may increase net recreational physical activity in the United States. Activity may increase most during the winter in northern states and decline most during the summer in southern states.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick Obradovich & James H. Fowler, 2017. "Climate change may alter human physical activity patterns," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 1(5), pages 1-7, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:1:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1038_s41562-017-0097
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-017-0097
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