title: The co-benefits for health of investing in active transportation.
abstract: Amid growing concerns about the impact of rising obesity and physical inactivity levels, climate change, population growth, increasing traffic congestion and declining oil supplies, multiple sectors are now promoting active transportation as an alternative to driving. This paper considers the health benefits and co-benefits of investing in active transportation, enabling comparison of policy options to optimise societal objectives aimed at creating healthy, socially and environmentally sustainable communities. Policies promoting the use of both energy-efficient motor vehicles and increased active transportation would almost double the impact on greenhouse gas emissions and would reduce disease burden by increasing physical activity. More co-benefit and economic analyses research is required to inform 'joined-up' policy solutions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Built Environment and Health, School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia. billie.giles-corti@uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Billie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giles-Corti
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shilton
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Falconer
mesh_terms: D001642:Bicycling; D057231:Climate Change; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D012922:Social Change; D014186:Transportation / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016138:Walking