• 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, strokes, 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. In 1995 the National Travel Survey reported that on average each person in England made 20 cycle trips. By 2005 this had fallen to 15, a decline of 25%.1 Between 1986 and 2005, the average proportion of journeys on foot fell from 34% to 23%, a decrease of 32%.2

    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 for children this increases to one hour, every day. 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 – in 2008 only 39% of men and 29% of women met government physical activity recommendations.3 The proportion of people categorised as obese has also increased from 13% of men in 1993 to 22% in 2009 and from 16% of women in 1993 to 24% in 2009.4

    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 alone.5

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

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

    •         Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of premature death in the UK accounting for one fifth (19%) of premature deaths in men and one in ten (10%) premature deaths in women.6
    •          Inactive and unfit people have almost double the risk of dying from CHD compared with more active and fit people.7
    •          Physically active people have a 33-50% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to inactive people.7
    •          High blood pressure can be both prevented and treated by physical activity.7
    •          Physical activity is effective in the treatment of clinical depression and can be as successful as psychotherapy or medication, particularly in the longer term. It can also help reduce physiological reactions to stress, improve sleep and reduce anxiety.7
    •          People who are physically active tend to have a lower risk of cancer… the higher the level of physical activity or fitness, the lower the overall risk of cancer. Moderate to vigorous intensity activity appears to be most beneficial. Frequency is also a factor: more frequent physical activity has been associated with greater risk reductions.7 

    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

    References

    1 SQW Ltd (2007) Valuing the benefits of cycling - a report to Cycling England

    2 Ramblers Association (accessed June 2011) External link

    3 National Obesity Observatory (2011) Determinants of Obesity: Adult Physical Activity External link

    4 National Obesity Observatory (accessed June 2011) External link 

    5 Government Office for Science – Foresight Programme (2007) Tackling Obesities: Future Choices (2nd edition) External link

    6 National Heart Forum (accessed June 2011) External link

    7 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 External link

    Evidence on partner websites: 

    Ramblers - walking information sheets

    Sustrans - information about physical activity and health

    CTC - cycling for health and fitness information  

    LCC - cycling advice 

    Living Streets' - toolkit to encourage walking

    Campaign for Better Transport - research archives

    National Obesity Forum -  research publications

    National Heart Forum - resources directory

    Walk England -  walking resources and information

    Links to other organisations:

    Cancer Research UK  

    British Heart Foundation

    Diabetes UK

    Blood Pressure Association

    MIND 


     


     


     

     


     

     


     





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