Health Benefits of Cycling

HEALTH

The health benefits of cycling have been shown to be a primary reason why many people choose to cycle. A significant proportion of the population do not participate in the necessary levels of physical activity to protect against sedentary lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Cycling has been shown to significantly reduce the chance of developing these and other types of disease. Integrating cycling into everyday life, by using the bike as a form of transport has been shown to be a very sustainable method of regular physical activity.


Australia

  • Cycling For Fun and Fitness
    ExtremeBody Workout
    One of the most popular recreational activities in the world is cycling. It is an activity that is enjoyed by both young and old, in large and small countries. Cycling can also be a nice way to get around town without having to worry about were to part, it can be an athletic sport – like the Tour de France – and it can also be a great way to stay fit.
    Visit Site
  • Five Benefits of Cycle Commuting
    Warren McLaren, 14 July 2010, Australia: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation (bikes)
    Cycle commuting is apparently safer than not cycling to work. A Danish study assessing the health status of 30,000 people over a 14 year period found that, with all other factors being equal, simply cycling to work lowered the risk of death by 40%.
    Studies have indicated that cyclists have at least 15% lower absenteeism than non-cyclist workers, with the higher the frequency and longer the distance cycled, the lower the rate of absenteeism.
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  • Alliance Urges Tax Reform for Healthy People & Planet Visit Site
    20 February 2010, Australian Health Promotion Association
    The Henry Tax Review is a once in a generation opportunity to combat the looming challenges that threaten the health of Australians and our environment, say the Smarter Taxes Better Health Alliance of national and international health, transport and environmental groups. These groups have joined forces to urge the Australian Government to take action on:
    Position Paper  View PDF
  • Why is Australia dragging the chain on getting us moving?
    Croakey,  18 June 2010, Crikey.com
    With so much evidence showing the wide-ranging benefits of physical activity, why isn’t Australia doing much more to promote active transport?
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  • Active transport: children and young people (an overview of recent evidence)
    Jan Garrard, (2010) VicHealth
    In recent decades, changes in Australian lifestyles, urban environments and transportation systems have led to changed physical activity patterns among children. This report looks at trends and potential interventions.
    Active transport, in particular, has declined dramatically in countries, including Australia, where car travel has become the predominant form of personal mobility.
    View PDF
  • Prevention of cardiovascular disease,diabetes and chronic kidney disease
    Australian Institute of Health And Welfare, December 2009, Canberra
    This is the first report to present a systematic approach to monitor prevention in Australia. Using a new conceptual framework, this report focuses on prevention of the modifiable risk factors for the three closely related conditions of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. These diseases account for around a quarter of the burden of disease in Australia, and just under two-thirds of all deaths. The risk factors discussed include smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, obesity and physical inactivity. Drawing on data from a wide range of sources, the report covers three aspects of prevention: the prevalence of the risk factors, initiatives aimed at the whole population and services provided to individuals.
    View PDF
  • Active transport: adults (an overview of recent evidence)
    Dr Jan Garrard, (2009) VicHealth, Melbourne
    This report provides a summary of:
    The role of active transport in achieving recommended levels of physical activity
    - Prevalence and trends in active travel in Australia
    - Health and social benefits of active travel
    - Characteristics and correlates of active travel
    - Effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing active travel
    - Future directions for promoting active travel in Australia.
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  • Urban Planning 4 Health: A Guide for NSCC Population Health
    Pearce, C., Palermo, M., Tebb, N., Travers, C. and Whitecross, P.(2009) Northern Sydney Central Coast Health Promotion Service
    The UP 4 Health Guide is a tool for Health Promotion and Public Health staff interested in assessing and influencing the health and social outcomes of proposed development at a Local, State and Federal level. The aim is to improve and maintain the quality of Health Promotion and Public Health responses to such documents and initiatives.
    View PDF
  • Australian Department of Health and Aging - Early Childhood Nutrition (2009)
    Provides families with practical information and advice to support healthy eating and encourage physical activity in young children.
    • Get Up & Grow: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood - Directors/Coordinators Book
      View PDF
    • Get Up & Grow: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood - Staff/Carers Book
      View PDF
    • Get Up & Grow: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood - Family Book
      View PDF
  • Moving beyond 'rates, roads and rubbish': How do local governments make choices about healthy public policy to prevent obesity?
    Steven Allender, and others, 07 September 2009, Australia and New Zealand Health Policy -
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    While the causes of obesity are well known traditional education and treatment strategies do not appear to be making an impact. One solution as part of a broader complimentary set of strategies may be regulatory intervention at local government level to create environments for healthy nutrition and increased physical activity.

    Semi structured interviews were conducted with representatives of local government in Australia. Factors most likely to facilitate policy change were those supported by external funding, developed from an evidence base and sensitive to community and market forces. Barriers to change included a perceived or real lack of power to make change and the complexity of the legislative framework.
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  • Australia: the healthiest country by 2020
    Prepared for the National Preventative Health Taskforce
    • Australia: the healthiest country by 2020
      The Strategy provides a blueprint for tackling the burden of chronic disease currently caused by obesity, tobacco, and excessive consumption of alcohol. It is directed at primary prevention and addresses all relevant arms of policy and all available points of leverage, in both the health and non-health sectors.
      The Strategy comprises three parts: an overview; a roadmap for action; and technical papers focused on the three key areas - obesity, tobacco and alcohol.
      If you have any enquiries, please email pht.secretariat@health.gov.au.
    • National Preventative Health Strategy - Overview View PDF
    • National Preventative Health Strategy – the roadmap for action View PDF
    • Obesity in Australia: a need for urgent action
      Obesity Working Group, Technical Report No 1, Including addendum for October 2008 to June 2009
      One of the greatest public health challenges confronting Australia and many other industrialised countries is the obesity epidemic. Australia is one of the most overweight developed nations, with over 60% of adults and one in four children overweight or obese.
      View PDF
  • Weighing it up: Obesity in Australia
    Australian Government (2009) House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia
    This inquiry into obesity in the Australian population, focusing on future implications for Australia’s health system, has revealed that there are high personal and economic costs associated with this increasing prevalence. The Committee has heard there is a vast array of direct and indirect costs to - not just the health system - but individuals, families, communities, and employers.
    View PDF  
  • Cycling: Getting Australia Moving: Barriers, facilitators and interventions to get more Australians physically active through cycling
    Bauman, A. Rissel, C. Garrard, J. Ker, I. Speidel, R. and Fishman, E. (2008) Cycling Promotion Fund, Melbourne
    In August 2007, the Cycling Promotion Fund was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to develop a report on bicycle participation by Australian adults.

    The Cycling Promotion Fund was specifically asked to investigate the contribution cycling can make to the health of adult Australians, what barriers exist to increasing participation and what can be done to overcome these hurdles.  The Cycling Promotion Fund engaged four notable academics/practitioners from the fields of health, transport and economics to address these questions.
    View PDF  Full Report (3.1 Mb) and View PDF Executive Summary (1.7 Mb)
  • Australian Bicycle Council - Benefits of cycling
    A great resource on health, economic, social, environmental and other benefits of cycling.
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  • Health benefits of cycling
    Cycling Promotion Fund/Bicycle Federation of Australia, 2007, Cycling Promotion Fund/Bicycle Federation of Australia.
    This Fact Sheet outlines the numerous health benefits, both to the individual and wider community from cycling.
    View PDF
  • Inverse associations between cycling to work, public transport, and overweight and obesity: Findings from a population based study in Australia
    Li Ming Wen, Chris Rissel, (2007) Preventive Medicine 46 (2008) 29–32, Health Promotion Service, Sydney South West Area Health Service
    The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between various modes of transport to work and overweight and obesity, in men and women.
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  • Cycling for active transport and recreation in Australia: Status review and future directions
    Rissel, C., Garrard, J., 2006, World Transport Policy and Practice, Vol. 13, p.49–63
    This paper reviews the position of the bicycle in Australia, as a form of transport and recreation. The paper identifies the various influences on people’s decision to ride and highlights gender differences in participation and requirements. It is a helpful tool for planners to better understand how to encourage greater cycling participation in Australia.
    View PDF
  • Safety in numbers in Australia: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling
    Robinson, D.L., 2005, Heath Promotion Journal of Australia, Vol. 16, Issue 1, p.47-51.
    This study finds that as the number of cyclists increase, rates of injury reduce.
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  • TravelSmart Australia
    About TravelSmart
    This webpage provides an overview of the environmental and health affects of transport behaviour. Commentary is also offered on the need to provide infrastructure solutions for cyclists, as well as the increasingly car dependent transport patterns of children.
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  • Cycling Promotion Fund, Cycling>Moving Australia forward
    2007 Cycling Promotion Fund
    A tool to promote the multiple benefits of cycling for individuals, communities, governments and the environment.
    View PDF

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Podcasts

  • Bike Heaven
    ABC, Radio National: Street Stories podcast (15 June 2008) researcher/producer Nicole Steinke
    There are many cities that could aspire to the title of 'bike heaven', cities where cycle paths abound and where governments and car users alike regard bicycles as a solution to traffic problems rather than a cause of them. Sydney isn't one of them.
    Visit Amsterdam or Copenhagen... even Adelaide and Canberra have kilometres of cycle paths in their city centres, while Brisbane is planning many more. But it's still a distant dream in huge, sprawling, car-mad Sydney, where it's said one-third of all land lies under roads and car parks. It takes a lot of nerve to cycle in Sydney but, for those who do, it becomes a passion they want to share.
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  • Health Benefits of Cycling
    ABC Radio National - Breakfast (4 June 2008)  Professor Chris Rissell, Co-author, Cycling: Getting Australia Moving, Mark Bannerman presentor and Madeline Genner Producer
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    When the Labor government came to power last November, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised to make the fight against obesity a national health priority. Current figures suggest that around three million Australians are obese, and more than 7 million Australians are overweight. Now a new report suggests that cycling could be part of the solution. The report, which is released today, has found the federal government already saves more than $220 million dollars in health costs per year from cycling, and it's a figure which could rise dramatically if more Australians got on their bikes.

  • Bicycles and Health
    ABC Radio National - Life Matters (9 June 2008) guest Associate Professor Chris Rissel; Director, Health Promotion Unit, Sydney South West Area Health Service, presenter; Richard Aedy, producer; Jackie May and researcher/producer; Lindy Raine & Jackie May
    Traffic congestion is extending the time it takes to commute to work, but would you consider riding a bike?
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New South Wales

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Queensland

  • Find Your Thirty
    Queensland Department of Communities (2009)
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    • Cycling Video - On your bike - Do you have an old bike sitting in the garage collecting dust? Now is the time to dust it off and get on your bike!  Finding your 30 is easy as riding a bike to return a DVD to the store instead of taking the car.  Go for a ride in the fresh air, and bring the family along for a ride too!  Get active and find your 30, it’s easy as riding a bike.
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  • Queensland Transport Benefits
    This site outlines the environmental, economic, transport and social benefits of cycling.
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Victoria

  • How times have changed
    Thomson, Dr L. (2009) Participation and equity for health, Active transport literature review, March 2009, Vic Health
    This paper will explore a number of key areas which relate to children’s independent mobility. The first is to detail the changes in values around child rearing. There is mounting evidence to suggest that parents actively anticipate and manage risks and this is reflected in the way children are raised. Evidence will be presented which illustrates how children are largely excluded from decision making processes in terms of how their day-to-day lives are organised. The impact this type of micro-management has on the development of our children as independent and autonomous individuals will be explored. The second half of this paper will detail the barriers and enablers to children’s independent mobility based on findings from international and Australian studies. Finally, this paper will look at how to improve children’s independent mobility using active transport with the view to creating a more environmentally and socially sustainable society.
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  • Planning for healthy communities
    Department of Human Services, 2004, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
    This comprehensive document outlines the most effective health promotion strategies for preventing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Cycling features throughout the document for its ability to reduce the level of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in the community.
    View PDF
  • Cycling and walking benefits
    TravelSmart (VIC)
    Provides evidence on the benefits of walking and cycling, focused on workplace outcomes, such as absenteeism.
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Western Australia

  • Find Thirty® every day
    Western Australian Department of Health (2009) - publicity materials
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    • Cycling -
      The Find Thirty® every day campaign includes television advertising, supporting media and resources.  Updates will be added as the campaign progresses. 
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  • Cycling promotion in Western Australia
    Greig, R., 2005, Premier’s Physical Activity Taskforce, Presentation given at Planning for Healthy Communities Conference, Brisbane, October.
    This presentation gauges the view from cyclists and non-cyclists regarding the factors that encourage and discourage cycling amongst the public.
    View PDF

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New Zealand

  • Ball, J., Ward, M., Thornley, L. & Quigley, R. (2009) "Applying health impact assessment to land transport planning", NZ Transport Agency Research Report 375. 146pp.
    View PDF  

    This research project draws on learning from New Zealand and other countries to produce recommendations on the best application of health impact assessment (HIA) in land transport planning (including cycling) in New Zealand.
  • Genter, J.A., Donovan S., Petrenas, B. & Badland, H.(2009), RR359: "Valuing the health benefits of active transport modes", NZTA
    View PDF

    This report seeks to provide a per-kilometre value for the health benefits of active transport modes (such as walking and cycling) that is compatible with the Land Transport New Zealand Economic Evaluation Manual Volume 2 (EEM2). The first two sections of the report begin by explaining the scope of the project and the background. Section 3 investigates the evidence of the connection between physical activity and health outcomes. Section 4 clarifies the role of active transport modes as physical activity, and reports the New Zealand-specific data about active transport mode engagement. Section 5 gives a brief comparative summary of the literature review of cost-benefit analyses and valuation techniques used overseas to value the health benefits of active modes.
  • Richards, R. (2009) "Supporting cycling and walking in your city:A toolkit for submissions to (NZ) Local Government Annual Plans", University of Otago, NZ
    View PDF

    This toolkit aims to encourage individuals and agencies from the health sector to support cycling and walking in their city via submissions to Local Government.
    City and Regional Councils have a substantial role in developing policy, programmes and infrastructure to support cycling and walking in their communities. One avenue for the health sector to support this is via submissions to Annual Plans and Long Term Council Community Plans (LTCCP) that highlight the potential gains in community health and well-being that could be enjoyed.

 

International

  • The Hidden Health Costs of Transportation
    American PublicHealth Association, (2010)
    The full costs to public health of transportation are only beginning to be understood. Although health impacts—such as not being able to walk safely to school or breathe clean air—may not seem tangible, they can in fact be valued. These costs are as real and in certain instances as measurable as the costs of steel and concrete. It has often been said that “what gets measured gets done.” To date, the costs of public health impacts have been “externalized”—that is, they are not accounted for in the current framework of planning, funding and building highways, bridges and public transit.No doubt, different decisions about transportation investments would be made if health-related costs were incorporated into the decision-making process.
    View PDF
  • Car-Dependent States Hit Hardest by Obesity Epidemic
    Noah Kazis, 8 July 2010, StreetsBlog
    Transportation is a public health issue. As profiled in the recently released report from the Trust for America's Health, "F as in Fat," obesity rates continue to rise across the nation, increasing the risk of serious health problems like diabetes and hypertension. To solve the obesity epidemic, the data suggest, we need to rethink our dependence on the automobile. 
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    Have a look at how GoodIS sees this data . . . Visit Site
  • Department of Health Takes a Snapshot of Bed-Stuy Cyclists
    Noah Kazis, 29 July 2010, StreetsBlog
    The city's Department of Health has made encouraging physical activity, which can help prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other ailments, a top priority. As part of promoting healthy lifestyles, the Department's Brooklyn District Public Health Office spent last summer studying cyclist behavior in Bedford-Stuyvesant to learn who in that neighborhood travels by bike, and how, so as to better be able to promote cycling in the broader North and Central Brooklyn area. The recently released results [PDF] provide a rare neighborhood-scale look at who cycles, how they ride, and what they think of biking conditions.
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  • Can the Dep’t of Transportation Combat Obesity?
    Willy Staley, 22 July 2010, The Next American City - Urban Nation Via Planetizen Visit Site
    Last week, in Washington DC, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Transportation for America held a roundtable discussion called “Keeping Kids Moving”, which examined how federal transportation policy can help keep children safer and healthier, and help achieve Michelle Obama’s ambitious goal of ending childhood obesity in one generation.
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  • Value For Money: An economic assessment of investment in walking and cycling
    Dr.Adrian Davis, March 2010, National Health Service
    PDF Doc (268KB) - View PDF
  • Fight Obesity With 10 Miles of Cycle Tracks Per State
    April Streeter, 15 July 2010, USA: TreeHugger - Food & Health
    Harvard's Anne Lusk is a Department of Nutrition researcher extremely interested in the ways bicycles can help our overweight society. Her most recent publication documents research she and colleagues did using data from the famous Nurses Health Study II and compared biking and fast walking and their surprising role in keeping women slimmer..for just a few minutes of exercise each day. 
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  • All-Cause Mortality Associated With Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Work, Sports, and Cycling to Work
    Andersen, L.B., Schnohr, P., Schroll, M. and Hein, H.O., (2000) ARCH INTERN MED/VOL 160, JUNE 12, 2000
    Objective: To evaluate the relationship between levels of physical activity during work, leisure time, cycling to work, and sports participation and all-cause mortality.
    Conclusions: Leisure time physical activity was inversely associated with all-cause mortality in both men and women in all age groups. Benefit was found from moderate leisure time physical activity, with further benefit from sports activity and bicycling as transportation.
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  • A Study on the Impact of the Green Transport Mode on Public Health Improvement
    KOTI World-Brief, Vol. 1, No. 1, Korea Transport Institute, May 2009, pp. 6-8
    This study found that commuters who switch from automobile to walking or cycling for eight weeks experienced significantly reduced lower blood pressure, improved lung capacity and improved cholesterol counts. It estimated that commuters who use active modes achieve annual health and fitness benefits worth an average of 2.2 million Korean Won (about $2,000). They found that incorporating these values into transportation policy and project evaluation significantly affected outcomes, resulting in higher values for policies and projects that increase active transportation among people who otherwise achieve less than 150 weekly minutes of physical activity. 
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  • Healthier Kids — By Design
    Sarah Goodyear, 11 February 2010, StreetsBlog: New York
    As we noted the other day, First Lady Michelle Obama has launched a multifaceted initiative to reduce child obesity in the United States called Let's Move. It's a campaign that emphasizes the ways in which getting children up and active can help to improve their health for a lifetime.
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  • Sponsors Sold on Health, Economic Benefits of Minneapolis Bike-Share
    Ben Fried, 8 February 2010, StreetsBlog-New York
    Don't count out Boston just yet, but it looks like Minneapolis may be the first American city out of the gate with a public bicycle system of 1,000 bikes or more. Last week, the non-profit Nice Ride Minnesota selected the Public Bike System Company (the same firm behind Montreal's Bixi) to install its system, which is slated to feature 1,000 bicycles at about 75 stations when the first phase wraps up later this year.
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  • Future health: sustainable places for health and well-being
    CABE, (2009) Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, 1 Kemble Street, London WC2B 4AN
    Explaining how good design makes healthy places by bringing together what CABE knows about sustainable, health-promoting design with the latest thinking about individual health and well-being.
    Drawing on examples and research, Future health shows how good planning can have a positive impact on public health, how health trusts can cut carbon and costs by co-locating services, and how designers can influence people's well-being.
    Future health will be of interest to health trusts, planners, policymakers and premises providers.
    • Future health: sustainable places for health and well-being (summary) (PDF, 866.01 kb) View PDF
    • Future health: sustainable places for health and well-being (full report) (PDF, 664.72 kb) View PDF
  • Active Living by Design
    Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Rural Suburban Urban Urban/Suburban (2009) American Journal of Preventive Medicine
    This issue focuses on the ALbD national program and community action model as well as the lessons learned from 15 ALbD grantee communities. The issue also features commentary from experts in the field. The practice-based special issue describes community partnerships representing a range of lead agencies (e.g. planning departments, community development agencies) with emphasis on increasing physical activity in special populations (e.g. African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, older adults, children, employees).  There are examples of the process of planning and implementing comprehensive approaches to increase community levels of physical activity, including how to engage partners, secure resources, increase community participation, design policy and environment interventions, increase political or community support, address challenges or minimize barriers, and keep the momentum going over time.
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  • Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit
    National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (USA)
    The toolkit can be used by anyone who promotes youth physical activity, including community leaders; physical education and health education teachers; physical activity coordinators at the school, district, and state levels; and physical activity practitioners working in health or community-based organizations.

    Many of the toolkit components can be adapted and customized for various audiences. The User Guide provides an overview of all toolkit materials, offers suggestions for customizing components, and provides examples of use.
    User Guide: offers step-by-step guidance, customizable resources, fundamental strategies, and key examples of use pertaining to toolkit contents.
    • Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit: User Guide [pdf 2.3M] View PDF
    • Fact sheets
      • Youth Physical Activity: The Role of Schools [pdf 1.8M] View PDF
      • Youth Physical Activity: The Role of Communities [pdf 1.3M] View PDF
        Youth Physical Activity: The Role of Families [pdf 2.3M] View PDF
    • Poster
      • Be Active and Play, 60 Minutes, Every Day! [pdf 2.0M] View PDF
    • PowerPoint presentations
      • The Role of Schools in Promoting Youth Physical Activity [pdf 1.1M] View PDF
      • The Role of Communities in Promoting Youth Physical Activity [pdf 998K] View PDF
      • The Role of Families in Promoting Youth Physical Activity [pdf 939K] View PDF
      • The Role of Schools, Families and Communities in Promoting Youth Physical Activity [pdf 1.0M] View PDF
    • Chapter 3 of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Active Children and Adolescents Visit Site
  • Confirmed: New Yorkers Reap Health Benefits From Walking and Biking
    Ben Fried, 3 December 2009, StreetsBlog via Planetizen Visit Site
    The NYC Department of Health announced the results of a citywide survey today [ View PDF ] assessing the health benefits of regular walking and biking. Based on telephone interviews with more than 10,000 New Yorkers, the health department reveals that people who incorporate walking and biking into their daily routine are significantly more likely to report good physical and mental health than those who don't. The report concludes with recommendations to encourage walking and biking, including steps like building safer infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. 
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  • Physical activity linked to school girls' grades
    Joene Hendry, 11 December 2009, Reuters - Health
    NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Girls who spend more time in vigorous physical activity may do better in school, even if they are not particularly fit, study findings hint.
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  • Physically active boys are smarter, study hints
    Rachael Myers Lowe, 3 December 2009, Reuters - Health
    NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Jocks get new respect in a large Swedish study that suggests physically active teen boys may be smarter than their couch-potato counterparts.
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  • Healthy Planning Policies A Compendium from California General Plans
    Bay Area Regional Health (2009) Planning for Healthy Places, a program of Public Health Law & Policy (PHLP).
    This compilation reflects a growing diversity of strategies for integrating health into planning, but these examples are still probably best considered the work of “early adopters.” By sharing them more broadly, we hope to spur innovation and emerging best practices in the integration of health into land use policy.
    View PDF
  • LEED-ND and Healthy Neighborhoods An Expert Panel Review
    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & National Center for Environmental Health Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services
    LEED-ND is a rating system in collaboration among the U.S. Green Building Council, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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  • An economic evaluation of health-promotive built environment changes
    Jessica Y. Guo, and Sasanka Gandavarapu, 17 October 2009, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA, Published by Elsevier Inc.
    This study aimed to help public investment decision makers see the greatest return on their built environment investments by developing an analysis framework for identifying the most promising improvement strategies and assessing the attainable return on investment.
    This paper will need to be purchased from Elsevier Inc.
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  • Making the Link from Transportation to Physical Activity and Obesity
    Active Living Research (2009) Building Evidence to Prevent Childhood Obesity and Support Active Communities, RESEARCH brief, Summer 2009
    Transportation investments can either support or impede walking and bicycling in neighborhoods and near schools, depending on how they are implemented. Evidence is accumulating about how infrastructure improvements, programs that aim to manage neighborhood road traffic, and efforts to make streets and sidewalks safer for active travel influence travel patterns among both children and adults. This research brief presents an overview of findings demonstrating the potential impact of infrastructure investments and other transportation programs on walking and bicycling for transportation, and on related health outcomes. It focuses on public transit, greenways and trails, school-related infrastructure and programs, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and efforts to manage car traffic.
    View PDF
  • Cars Make You Fat
    Lloyd Alter, 30 September 2009, Canada: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation
    We have noted before that suburbs make you fat. Now research by John Pucher of Rutgers University suggests that cars make you fat.
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  • Report suggests local action to fight child obesity
    Editing by Todd Eastham, 1 September 2009, Reuters - USA
    (Reuters) - A new report from the U.S. Institute of Medicine suggests local governments adopt a mixture of taxes, incentives and new zoning policies to fight childhood obesity.
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  • Neal Peirce, 19 July 2009, "Biking and Walking: Our Secret Weapon?", © 2009 Washington Post Writers Group - Citiwire.net  
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    More fitness. America’s obesity epidemic curbed. Less gasoline burned, fewer carbon emissions. Safer streets. Improved access to public transit.
    Those are just some of the reasons why biking and walking proponents say it’s time for the federal government to focus less on new and expanded highways, and far more on safe pathways and “complete streets” for our towns and cities.
  • Lawrence, F. (2008) "The Built Environment and Health: A Review", Prepared for the City of Calgary, by Lawrence Frank & Co, Inc.
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    The recent rapid increase in obesity and related chronic diseases has spurred a widespread recognition of the built environment’s role in population health. Research on the topic has expanded greatly in recent years, and this document is an attempt to document the logical pathways and connections in the research between the built environment and health and wellness outcomes.
  • Shinkle, D. & Teigen, A. (2008) "Encouraging Bicycling and Walking - The State Legislative Role", National Conference of State Legislatures: The Forum for America's Ideas, Washington USA
    Visit Site to purchase the PDF

    The report first provides an overview of recent trends in bicycling and walking and the related transportation, economic, public and environmental health benefits. A snapshot of the current state of bicycling and walking in the United States follows. Subsequent chapters examine state legislative activity in three key areas: funding, planning and safety.
  • Velo.Info - Cycling and Health  
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    This briefing outlines the following topic areas:
    • Growing health concerns
    • Cycling as a solution to improving health
    • Individual health benefits from cycling
    • Wider benefits of cycling to society
    • Risks associated with cycling
    • Reseach document - View PDF
  • World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, (2009) Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention, US
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    One-third of cancers in developed countries, not including those preventable by not smoking, can be prevented through diet, exercise, and weight control.  Researchers found that modern cities have impeded walking and bicycling.  They recommend widespread dedicated walking and cycling facilities and traffic management policies that encourage people to walk or bike.
  • Cycling England - Health and Fitness webpage
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    Several pdf documents available for downloading.
  • Reichman, T. (2009) Warning! Riding a Bicycle Can Have the Following Side Effects: . . . . TreeHugger.com - Cars and Transportation
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    If you are thinking about replacing a car trip with a bicycle trip instead, it is important to know the repercussions of that choice. Read further for 8 side effects that your doctor or bicycle salesman may not have told you about.
  • Gotschi, Dr T. & Mills, K.J.D. (2008) "Active Transportation for America - The Case for Increased Federal Investment in Bicycling and Walking", Rails-to -Trails Conservancy, USA
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    To learn more about Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and its role in making trails, walking and biking a part of the national transportation solution, visit Visit Site .

    "Active Transportation for America" makes the case and quantifies the national benefits for the first time that increased federal funding in bicycling and walking infrastructure would provide tens of billions of dollars in benefits to all Americans.
  • Air Quality Sciences, 2006, Indoor Air Quality Hazards of New Cars, Air Quality Sciences Inc, United States.
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    This paper outlines the harmful chemical exposure from the interior of new cars.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycling Information Centre, United States
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    Disseminates information and technical assistance on pedestrian and bicycle safety, solutions and resources.
  • Andersen, L.B., et al., 2000, All-cause mortality associated with physical activity during leisure time, work, sports, and cycling to work, Archives of Internal Medicine, 160(11): p. 1621-1628.
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    This highly regarded Danish study assessed the health status of 30,000 people over a 14 year period to measure the health benefits of cycling. The researchers found that, with all other factors being equal, simply cycling to work lowered the risk of death by 40%.
  • Dora, C., Phillips, M., 2000, Transport, heath and the environment, World Health Organisation, Regional Publications, European Series No. 89, Copenhagen.
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    A landmark publication on the inter-relationship between transport, health and the environment. This paper offers a comprehensive outline of the importance of reducing car use and increasing the proportion of trips conducted by active modes of transport.
  • Jacobsen, P.L., 2003, Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling, Injury Prevention, Vol. 9, pp. 205-209.
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    This paper found that as the numbers of pedestrians and cyclists increase, the level of road traffic injury reduces. It concludes by saying that policies that increase the level of walking and cycling improve their level of safety.
  • Litman, T., 2004, Quantifying the benefits of non-motorized transportation for achieving mobility management objectives, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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    This paper outlines the numerous benefits associated with active transport modes such as cycling. It discusses the methods available to quantify the social, economic, environmental and transport benefits of cycling.
  • Litman, T., 2007, Win-win transportation solutions: Smart transportation strategies can achieve emission reduction targets and provide other important economic, social and environmental benefits, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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    This paper introduces a range of market-based policy reforms aimed at increasing transport efficiency, improving health and reducing emissions.
  • Pucher, J., 2007, Cycling is for everyone: The key to public and political support, Rutgers University, New Jersey.
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    A presentation by one of the world’s leading academics on the relationship between transport and health, with a particular focus on cycling. This presentation provides a comprehensive set of data and imagery outlining the importance of increasing rates of cycling and what needs to be done to make it happen.
  • Pucher, J., Dijkstra, L., 2003, Promoting safe walking and cycling to improve public health: Lessons from the Netherlands and Germany, American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 93, No. 9.
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    This research paper assesses the public health consequences of unsafe and unattractive walking and cycling amenity. It does this through an examination of conditions in US cities and compares them to the Netherlands and Germany. This paper is instructive to Australian and New Zealand planners despite its US and European focus.
  • Spreekmeester, R., Wittink, R., Van Den Berg, J., 2000, The economic significance of cycling: A study to illustrate the costs and benefits of cycling policy, VNG Uitgeverij, The Hague.
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    An important, unique contribution, this document assesses the various costs and benefits of cycling. Their wide ranging analysis covers the costs of traffic and infrastructure, economic considerations and the health and environmental benefits of cycling, to name just a few.
  • Danish Roads Directorate, 2000, Collection of Cycle Concepts, Government of Denmark, Copenhagen.
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    The Collection of Cycle Concepts is a comprehensive Danish publication on cycling. It offers a wide ranging, yet detailed analysis and discussion on promotion, urban planning, facility design, signage and parking. Although some of it is specific to Denmark, much of the content is internationally relevant.
  • UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health.
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    This guidance offers the first national, evidence-based recommendations on how to improve the physical environment to encourage physical activity.
  • World Health Organisation - Health Economic Assessment Tool for Cycling
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    Rutter, H. et al, Health Economic Assessment Tool for Cycling, User Guide.
  • Rutter, Dr H. (2000), Transport and Health - A policy report on the health benefits of increasing levels of cycling in Oxfordshire, Specialist Registrar in Public Health Medicine, Oxfordshire Health Authority
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    Levels of physical activity within the population are declining, and sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. Evidence has been mounting for the health benefits of physical activity; these are greatest when it is performed regularly over a lifetime. Regular cycling to work is an effective way of incorporating this exercise into daily routines; it can also have the beneficial effect of reducing traffic, a major disincentive to cycling, thus encouraging more people to use their bicycles for all sorts of travel.
  • Rank J, Folke J, Jespersen PH. (2001) Differences in cyclists and car drivers exposure to air pollution from traffic in the city of Copenhagen. Sci Total Environ
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    It has frequently been claimed that cycling in heavy traffic is unhealthy, more so than driving a car. To test this hypothesis, teams of two cyclists and two car drivers in two cars were equipped with personal air samplers while driving for 4 h on 2 different days in the morning traffic of Copenhagen. The air sample charcoal tubes were analysed for their benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) content and the air filters for particles (total dust). The concentrations of particles and BTEX in the cabin of the cars were 2-4 times greater than in the cyclists' breathing zone, the greatest difference being for BTEX. Therefore, even after taking the increased respiration rate of cyclists into consideration, car drivers seem to be more exposed to airborne pollution than cyclists.
  • Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (Visit Site ), Fact Sheet - Health Care and Transport
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    How the Bicycle is used to facilitate healthcare services in Africa.
  • Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (Visit Site ), Fact Sheet - African Bicycle Ambulances Are Making a Difference
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    For most of us an emergency trip to a health facility is a matter of dialing 911 or having a family member drive us. However, for most rural Africans, a medical emergency is something altogether more serious. Many face long distances to health facilities. Family members are unlikely to own a bicycle, let alone a car. And public ambulance systems are virtually unheard of.

  

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