The Relationship between Inequalities in Household Sports Consumption Expenditures and Income Level

Dávid Paár; Zoltán Pogátsa; Pongrác Ács; András Szentei

doi:10.3390/ijerph192315608

The Relationship between Inequalities in Household Sports Consumption Expenditures and Income Level

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Nov 24;19(23):15608. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192315608.

Authors

Dávid Paár¹, Zoltán Pogátsa², Pongrác Ács¹, András Szentei^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Physiotherapy and Sport Sciences, University of Pécs, H-7621 Pecs, Hungary.
² Alexandre Lámfalussy Faculty of Economics, University of Sopron, H-9400 Sopron, Hungary.
³ Faculty of Health Sciences, Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, H-7621 Pecs, Hungary.

Abstract

Inequalities in income, wealth, quality of life, health and education are an intensively researched field of economics. In this study, we examine the inequality in sports expenditures of Hungarian households. We hypothesize that the development of income inequalities will also correlate significantly to inequalities in sports consumption, and this trend has been intensifying over the past two decades. The research is based on the Household Budget Survey database of Hungarian households for the period 2005-2017. The net income conditions of the population and the sports expenditure items recorded on the basis of the COICOP nomenclature are examined by income decile. Data is analysed using descriptive statistics, inequality indicators and correlation calculations. Aggregate household expenditures on passive sports consumption show a stagnant trend, while aggregate expenditures on active sports consumption follow a slightly upward trend among the Hungarian population. Inequality indicators show growing inequalities in terms of income and sports expenditure over the reviewed period. Income inequality and sports spending inequality move together. The Hungarian population is becoming polarised in terms of both income and level of sports expenditure.

Keywords: households; income; inequality; sports consumption; sports expenditure.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Educational Status
Family Characteristics
Health Expenditures*
Income
Quality of Life*
Socioeconomic Factors

Grants and funding

This research was partially supported by the Human Resource Development Operational Programme, grant No.: HRDOP-3.6.2-16-2017, Cooperative Research Network in Economy of Sport, Recreation and Health. The research was partially financed by the Thematic Excellence Program 2021 Health Sub-programme of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology in Hungary, within the framework of the EGA-10 project of the University of Pécs.