Active Life Style, Perceived Well-Being and Health

This paper examines the association between "active life style" behaviors and health. Health is measured with the widely-used five-category general self-rated health indicator (excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor). Analyses are based on the 2006-2008 and 2010 waves of American Time Use Survey (ATUS). For respondents in the 2010 wave of the ATUS, we also examine three specific health outcomes: whether the individual (1) has hypertension, 2) took pain medication on the diary day, and 3) woke up rested on the diary day. Finally, in 2010 we have measures of ATUS respondents' momentary perception of well-being during each of three randomly selected activities. Our study is the first that we know of to examine the association between health behaviors and general and momentary measures of well-being.