• Why active travel - the evidence

    Regular physical activity can bring real health benefits but more than half of men and nearly three quarters of all women are not active enough for their health and well being.

    Active travel – walking and cycling – can prevent coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis, and can tackle the worrying rise in obesity and mental health issues.

    Changes in the way we live, such as the growth in car use, have lead to increasingly sedentary, inactive lifestyles. We are now covering fewer miles on foot or by bike than ever before: a decline of over 20% in miles walked since the mid-1980s and over 10% in miles cycled1.

     The Chief Medical Officer recommends that adults should participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on five or more days of the week; and children one hour, every day 2. This activity can be taken in a single session, or in a series of shorter bouts of 10 minutes or more. The Government is committed to increasing levels of physical activity across the population but there is a long way to go – during 2006 only 40% of men and 28% of women met the recommended minimum level and 24% of adults were classified as obese3.

     The Government’s Foresight Report predicts that by 2050, 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children may be obese. This would cost the UK economy a staggering £49.9 billion per annum with a seven fold increase in NHS costs alone4.

    One of the easiest was to reach the recommended levels of physical activity is to incorporate walking and cycling into the daily routine, including the journey to work, school, local shops,  and visiting family and friends.

    Walking and cycling are accessible, affordable ways in which people can reduce their risk from disease. Physical activity can make a huge contribution to maintaining health and wellbeing:

    • In the UK around 36% of people die from Cardiovascular disease (CVD) – the main forms are Coronary Heart Disease and stroke5. Inactive and unfit people have almost double the risk of dying from CHD compared with more active and fit people2
    • Active people are half as likely to develop type II diabetes2
    • High blood pressure can be both prevented and treated by physical activity2
    • Physical activity is effective as a treatment of mild, moderate and severe clinical depression2.
    • Low levels of physical activity can increase the risk of certain cancers6.

    All Travel Actively projects support and encourage people beginning or returning to walking and cycling for local daily journeys by building confidence and ability. Projects focus on those at increased health risks including people from lower-socio economic groups, older people and those from black and minority ethnic groups.

    Read the case studies

     

    Evidence on partner websites: 

    Walk England's walking resources: External link

    Ramblers health benefits of walking information sheet: External link

    Sustrans’ evidence - A large library of research material related to obesity, health, active travel and the built environment. External link

    CTC  - Cycle for health and fitness: External link

    LCC - Cycling advice: External link

    Living Streets – Tools to get Active: External link

    Cycling England – The health benefits of cycling: External link

    Campaign for better transport - Research External link

    National Obesity Forum -  Publications External link


    National Heart Forum about Coronary Heart Disease: External link

     

    Links to other organisations in relation to disease:

    Cancer Research UK: External link

    British Heart Foundation: External link

    Diabetes UK: External link

    Blood Pressure Association:  External link

    MIND: External link

     

    References:

    1. Department for Transport, 2001 National Travel Survey 1999 – 2001
    2. Department of Health, 2004 At least five a week: Evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health. A report from the Chief Medical Officer
    3. The Information Centre, 2008 Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, January 2008
    4. Government Office for Science, 2007 Foresight Tackling Obesities: Future Choices
    5. British Heart Foundation, 2007 Coronary Heart Disease Statistics
    6. Stein and Colditz, 2004 Modifiable risk factors for cancer. British Journal of Cancer,90


     


     


     





Bottom banner image