Long working hours in young adulthood and later-life health: evidence from China

Using data from the 1997–2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), this study examines the association between long working hours in young adulthood and health outcomes in middle and older age. The results demonstrate that long working hours in youth are associated with a higher probability of illness in middle and older age. The results remain robust across a series of robustness checks. Channel analyses suggest that reductions in sleep, leisure and exercise and a higher risk of overweight account for part of the observed association. At the same time, longer working hours may be accompanied by economic and subjective resources that provide some offsetting benefits, but these resources are insufficient to fully compensate for the accumulated health costs. Further analyses show that the association is statistically significant in the non-public sector but not in the public sector. Within the non-public sector, it is also statistically significant among rural-hukou workers, men, high-skilled workers and those engaged in light physical work. These patterns suggest that compensation for long working hours may be incomplete across different worker groups. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening working-time regulation, compensation and preventive health protection.