[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 145 (Monday, July 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45567-45568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18060]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection, Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c) (2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed request for a new OMB control number for the ``Eating and 
Health Supplement to the American Time Use Survey.'' A copy of the 
proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by 
contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses section of this 
notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section of this notice on or before September 27, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Amelia Vogel, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free 
number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amelia Vogel, BLS Clearance Officer, 
at 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses 
section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The American Time Use Survey (ATUS) is the Nation's first federally 
administered, continuous survey on time use in the United States. It 
measures, for example, time spent with children, working, sleeping, or 
doing leisure activities. In the United States, several existing 
Federal surveys collect income and wage data for individuals and 
families, and analysts often use such measures of material prosperity 
as proxies for quality of life. Time-use data substantially augment 
these quality-of-life measures. The data also can be used in 
conjunction with wage data to evaluate the contribution of non-market 
work to national economies. This enables comparisons of production 
between nations that have different mixes of market and non-market 
activities.
    The ATUS is used to develop nationally representative estimates of 
how people spend their time. This is done by collecting a time diary 
about the activities survey respondents did over a 24-hour period 
``yesterday,'' from 4 a.m. on the day before the interview until 4 a.m. 
on the day of the interview. In the one-time interview, respondents 
also report who was with them during the activities, where they were, 
how long each activity lasted, and if they were paid. All of this 
information has numerous practical applications for sociologists, 
economists, educators, government policymakers, businesspersons, health 
researchers, and others.
    Time use data allows researchers to analyze the choices people make 
in how they spend their time, along with the time and income 
constraints they face. The data from the proposed Eating and Health 
module supplement can be used for research on the inter-relations and 
inter-associations of time use patterns and body mass index (BMI), food 
assistance participation, grocery shopping, and meal preparation. These

[[Page 45568]]

data enhance the understanding of peoples' overall well-being.
    The Eating and Health module supplement includes questions about 
peoples' eating and drinking behaviors, food assistance participation, 
grocery and meal shopping, food preparation, and food sufficiency. It 
also includes questions on general health and physical exercise. 
Information collected in the supplement will be published as a public 
use data set to facilitate research on numerous topics, such as: The 
association between eating patterns, physical activity, and BMI; time-
use patterns of food assistance program participants and low-income 
nonparticipants; and how time-use varies by health status. Sponsored by 
the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), the supplement is asked of respondents immediately 
upon their completion of the American Time Use Survey (ATUS).
    The Eating and Health supplement supports the mission of the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics by providing relevant information on economic and 
social issues, specifically the association between time-use patterns 
and eating and physical activity behavior and health. The data from the 
Eating and Health Module Supplement also closely support the mission of 
its sponsor, ERS, to improve the nation's nutrition and health. The 
supplement surveys individuals aged 15 and up from a nationally 
representative sample of approximately 2,190 sample households each 
month.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance for a new OMB control 
number is being sought for the Eating and Health Supplement to the 
American Time Use Survey. This supplement was previously collected as 
part of the ATUS (OMB control number 1220-0175). The BLS is requesting 
a new OMB control number in order to have greater flexibility in 
managing this episodic information collection without needing to 
revisit the more permanent aspects of the ATUS.
    There have been few efforts to collect data on time-use and how it 
relates to BMI, food assistance participation, grocery shopping, and 
meal preparation. The ATUS first ran Eating and Health Modules in 2006-
08. The 2006-08 Eating and Health Modules produced useful data that 
have been used in a variety of research products that inform policy and 
programs on eating and other behaviors.
    Fielding the Eating and Health Module Supplement in calendar years 
2014 and 2015 will allow researchers to monitor changes in Americans' 
time use patterns along with changes in Americans' eating activities, 
BMI values, and food assistance participation. Additionally, the 
proposed supplement includes several important questions that were not 
asked in 2006-08, including questions about soft drink consumption, 
grocery and meal shopping, meal preparation, food affordability, and 
physical exercise. Running the proposed 2014-15 Eating and Health 
Module Supplement will add significant information beyond what was 
collected in 2006-08 and provide an additional dimension to analyses of 
the time-use data.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    Type of Review: New collection (Request for a new OMB control 
Number).
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Eating and Health Supplement to the American Time Use 
Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-NEW.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Total Respondents: 12,600.
    Frequency: One time.
    Total Responses: 12,600.
    Average Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,050 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 23rd day of July 2013.
Kimberley D. Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 2013-18060 Filed 7-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P