BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) is important for maintaining health, but there are fundamental unanswered questions on how best it should be measured.MethodsWe measured PA in the Netherlands (n=748), the USA (n=540) and England (n=254), both by a 7 day wrist-worn accelerometer and by self-reports. The self-reports included a global self-report on PA and a report on the frequency of vigorous, moderate and mild activity.ResultsThe self-reported data showed only minor differences across countries and across groups within countries (such as different age groups or working vs non-working respondents). The accelerometer data, however, showed large differences; the Dutch and English appeared to be much more physically active than Americans h (For instance, among respondents aged 50 years or older 38% of Americans are in the lowest activity quintile of the Dutch distribution). In addition, accelerometer data showed a sharp decline of PA with age, while no such pattern was observed in self-reports. The differences between objective measures and self-reports occurred for both types of self-reports.ConclusionIt is clear that self-reports and objective measures tell vastly different stories, suggesting that across countries people use different response scales when answering questions about how physically active they are.

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For more information on this publication, visit http://www.rand.org/pubs/rgs_dissertations/RGSD367.html Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2016 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark Limited Print and Electronic Distribution RightsThis document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.html.The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest.RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.Support RAND Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute www.rand.org iii AbstractPrior research suggests that access to credit, access to electricity, access to public services, access to skilled labor, and ethnic discrimination in the labor market are the top constraints inhibiting the development of the labor markets and the private sector in Burma. This dissertation, in the form of three essays, addresses each of the five top constraints.Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a major role in the Burmese economy, making up over 95% of all private enterprises and employing the majority of the labor force. This suggests that the development of a well-functioning and thriving private sector is crucial to sustained growth over time. Yet, little is known about the characteristics of SMEs, the business environment under which they operate, and the factors affecting their growth. Employing vignette methodology and using data from a field survey of SMEs that I conducted in the city of Yangon in 2014, the first essay analyzes the critical barriers to access to the three areas of business inputs (credit, electricity, and public services), and makes suggestions for improving access. I find few interactions between banks and SMEs, that access to bank credit is very limited and difficult (in part due to strict collateral requirements), and that loan programs targeted towards SMEs have not improved access to credit, despite its popularity among government officials, donors, and NGOs. My findings suggest that policies aimed at restoring and regaining trust and enhancing transparency in the banking system, as well as relaxing existing collateral requirements will be effective in improving access to bank credit. Another implication of the main findings is that a scale-up of the SME loan program that allows for improvi...