Health
Physical activity, like walking and bicycling, has numerous benefits to physical and mental health, including lowering the risk of chronic illnesses and premature death. The health benefits of regular physical activity are far-reaching: reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic diseases; lower health care costs; and improved quality of life for people of all ages. Regular exercise provides the opportunity for health benefits for older adults such as a stronger heart, a more positive mental outlook, and an increased chance of remaining indefinitely independent, a benefit that will become increasingly important as our population ages in the coming years.
Mental Health
- Research conducted in 2018 and published in Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice found biking was the happiest mode of transportation after controlling for personal demographics, health conditions, and residential locations.
- In 2018, Walking for Health UK conducted research and found that physically active people are up to 30% less likely of becoming depressed.
- People who biked to work showed significantly lower levels of stress within the first 45 minutes of work than those who drove, according to a 2017 study by researchers at Concordia University.
Youth
- A 2019 study by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University found that children are more likely to use active transportation to school when, among other factors, they have a supportive environment to do so.
- Children who walk or bike to school are less likely to be overweight than those who rely on non-active transportation forms according to a 2019 study from researchers at the University of Cambridge.
- A 2014 study in the Journal of the American Planning Association found infrastructure improvements were associated with an 18% percent increase in walking and biking. Combined with education and encouragement efforts, schools could see a 25% relative increase in walking and biking.
Obesity Reduction
- A 2016 study by ARUP found that walking for 3 kilometers three times a week can reduce weight by half a kilo over three weeks.
Air Pollution and Environmental Health
- According to the 2021 State of the Air report, more than 4 in 10 Americans (over 135 million Americans) live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Air pollution, such as ozone or particle pollution, have dangerous impacts on respiratory and cardiovascular health and can even increase the risk of premature death. Motor vehicles contribute significantly to air pollution, making active transportation a healthier choice.
Physical Health Promotion
- A 2020 study published in The Lancet found that those who cycled to work had a 20% reduced rate of early death and a 24% reduced rate of death from cardiovascular disease compared to those who drove. Additionally, walking to work was associated with a 7% reduced rate of cancer diagnosis
- The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare published a report in 2017 which found that participating in 15 minutes of walking a day, 5 days a week reduced the disease burden from physical inactivity by about 13%. If activity is increased to 30 minutes, the burden can be reduced by 26%.
- A 2017 study published in The BMJ found commuting by walking or biking was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and for those who biked (for part or all of a commute), there was a lower risk of a range of adverse health impacts. Researchers also found that 90% of cycle commuters achieved current physical activity guidelines.
- A 2015 report from the Surgeon General emphasizes the importance of physical activity and recommends walking as a way to maintain a physically active and healthy lifestyle. According to the report, 11% of premature deaths in the United States are related to physical inactivity. Those who are physically active have a 30% lower risk of a premature death than those who are inactive.
Built Environment and Health
- The Department of Health and Human Services' 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines published research findings that state that adults in neighborhoods that are more activity supportive reported a median of 50.4 more minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and averaged about 13.7 minutes more of recreational walking compared to less supportive neighborhoods.
- In 2019, the Oregon Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation plan looked at land use mix, road design/street connectivity, urban planning policies (provision of parks, trails, or open spaces), neighborhood characteristics, and/or transportation infrastructure (sidewalks, bike lanes, trails). They found that environments that are more supportive of physical activity are generally found to have a positive influence on outdoor recreation participation.
- A 2020 report released by the Annual Review of Public Health found that a neighborhood's physical attributes, whether measured objectively or by self-report, were strongly related to the physical activity outcomes of its adult population. This supports the World Health Organization's recommendation to create more supportive built environments for physical activity to aid in controlling a population's non-communicable diseases.
Additional Resources
- New opportunities are developing within transportation agencies to better integrate health considerations into transportation processes. With these opportunities come important needs for research, data, and decision-making tools that align transportation goals with improved health outcomes. A Research Roadmap for Transportation and Public Health (NCHRP Research Report 932) highlights key research opportunities and documents existing research, practices, and challenges. There is also a suite of Research Problem Statements and an implementation plan that can provide navigational tools for interested champions to advance health-related research in collaboration with key transportation funding sources.
