Cities and states with more sidewalks and bike paths tend to have slimmer residents than locations where people must rely on vehicle transportation, according to a new study published on August 20.
The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, adds to the mounting evidence showing active travel has significant health benefits, said Bassett，one of the researchers. “People who live in areas that are more conducive to walking and cycling are more likely to engage in these forms of active transport.”
Bassett and his colleagues analyzed data from all 50 US states and 47 largest US cities, along with international data from 14 countries. While the international data included the percentage of all trips taken by walking and cycling, they also looked at overall physical activity, obesity and diabetes.
Results showed that walking and cycling rates could explain more than half of the differences in obesity rates among countries, and about 30 percent of the difference in obesity rates among cities and states.
The US doesn't measure up well in the study, coming in at No. 12 out of 14 on percentage of trips adults take by bike or foot. Australia came in last, though that data looked at percentage of work trips that were active, not total trips.
“European countries with high rates of walking and cycling have less obesity than do Australia and countries in North America that are highly car-dependent,” said the researchers.
The researchers suggest that in addition to infrastructure improvements, cities and states should create restrictions on car use, such as car-free zones, reductions in motor vehicle speeds, and limited and more expensive car parking.