Improving health through policies that promote active travel: a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment

Audrey de Nazelle; Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen; Josep M Antó; Michael Brauer; David Briggs; Charlotte Braun-Fahrlander; Nick Cavill; Ashley R Cooper; Hélène Desqueyroux; Scott Fruin; Gerard Hoek; Luc Int Panis; Nicole Janssen; Michael Jerrett; Michael Joffe; Zorana Jovanovic Andersen; Elise van Kempen; Simon Kingham; Nadine Kubesch; Kevin M Leyden; Julian D Marshall; Jaume Matamala; Giorgos Mellios; Michelle Mendez; Hala Nassif; David Ogilvie; Rosana Peiró; Katherine Pérez; Ari Rabl; Martina Ragettli; Daniel Rodríguez; David Rojas; Pablo Ruiz; James F Sallis; Jeroen Terwoert; Jean-François Toussaint; Jouni Tuomisto; Moniek Zuurbier; Erik Lebret

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003

Improving health through policies that promote active travel: a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment

Audrey de Nazelle, Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen, Josep M Antó, Michael Brauer, David Briggs, Charlotte Braun-Fahrlander, Nick Cavill, Ashley R Cooper, Hélène Desqueyroux, Scott Fruin, Gerard Hoek, Luc Int Panis, Nicole Janssen, Michael Jerrett, Michael Joffe, Zorana Jovanovic Andersen, Elise van Kempen, Simon Kingham, Nadine Kubesch, Kevin M LeydenJulian D Marshall, Jaume Matamala, Giorgos Mellios, Michelle Mendez, Hala Nassif, David Ogilvie, Rosana Peiró, Katherine Pérez, Ari Rabl, Martina Ragettli, Daniel Rodríguez, David Rojas, Pablo Ruiz, James F Sallis, Jeroen Terwoert, Jean-François Toussaint, Jouni Tuomisto, Moniek Zuurbier, Erik Lebret

336 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Substantial policy changes to control obesity, limit chronic disease, and reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gasses, have been recommended. Transportation and planning policies that promote active travel by walking and cycling can contribute to these goals, potentially yielding further co-benefits. Little is known, however, about the interconnections among effects of policies considered, including potential unintended consequences. Objectives and methods: We review available literature regarding health impacts from policies that encourage active travel in the context of developing health impact assessment (HIA) models to help decision-makers propose better solutions for healthy environments. We identify important components of HIA models of modal shifts in active travel in response to transport policies and interventions. Results and discussion: Policies that increase active travel are likely to generate large individual health benefits through increases in physical activity for active travelers. Smaller, but population-wide benefits could accrue through reductions in air and noise pollution. Depending on conditions of policy implementations, risk tradeoffs are possible for some individuals who shift to active travel and consequently increase inhalation of air pollutants and exposure to traffic injuries. Well-designed policies may enhance health benefits through indirect outcomes such as improved social capital and diet, but these synergies are not sufficiently well understood to allow quantification at this time. Conclusion: Evaluating impacts of active travel policies is highly complex; however, many associations can be quantified. Identifying health-maximizing policies and conditions requires integrated HIAs.

Original language	English
Journal	Environment International
Volume	37
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	766-77
Number of pages	12
ISSN	0160-4120
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003
Publication status	Published - May 2011

Keywords

Accidents, Traffic
Air Pollution
Bicycling
Environmental Exposure
Environmental Policy
Exercise
Health Behavior
Health Policy
Health Status
Hot Temperature
Humans
Noise, Transportation
Sunlight
Transportation
Travel
Walking

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003

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de Nazelle, A., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., Antó, J. M., Brauer, M., Briggs, D., Braun-Fahrlander, C., Cavill, N., Cooper, A. R., Desqueyroux, H., Fruin, S., Hoek, G., Panis, L. I., Janssen, N., Jerrett, M., Joffe, M., Andersen, Z. J., van Kempen, E., Kingham, S., Kubesch, N., ... Lebret, E. (2011). Improving health through policies that promote active travel: a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment. Environment International, 37(4), 766-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003

de Nazelle, A, Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ, Antó, JM, Brauer, M, Briggs, D, Braun-Fahrlander, C, Cavill, N, Cooper, AR, Desqueyroux, H, Fruin, S, Hoek, G, Panis, LI, Janssen, N, Jerrett, M, Joffe, M, Andersen, ZJ, van Kempen, E, Kingham, S, Kubesch, N, Leyden, KM, Marshall, JD, Matamala, J, Mellios, G, Mendez, M, Nassif, H, Ogilvie, D, Peiró, R, Pérez, K, Rabl, A, Ragettli, M, Rodríguez, D, Rojas, D, Ruiz, P, Sallis, JF, Terwoert, J, Toussaint, J-F, Tuomisto, J, Zuurbier, M & Lebret, E 2011, 'Improving health through policies that promote active travel: a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment', Environment International, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 766-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003

@article{040242c234414bb6903eb8bcf55abdd4,

title = "Improving health through policies that promote active travel: a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment",

abstract = "Substantial policy changes to control obesity, limit chronic disease, and reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gasses, have been recommended. Transportation and planning policies that promote active travel by walking and cycling can contribute to these goals, potentially yielding further co-benefits. Little is known, however, about the interconnections among effects of policies considered, including potential unintended consequences. Objectives and methods: We review available literature regarding health impacts from policies that encourage active travel in the context of developing health impact assessment (HIA) models to help decision-makers propose better solutions for healthy environments. We identify important components of HIA models of modal shifts in active travel in response to transport policies and interventions. Results and discussion: Policies that increase active travel are likely to generate large individual health benefits through increases in physical activity for active travelers. Smaller, but population-wide benefits could accrue through reductions in air and noise pollution. Depending on conditions of policy implementations, risk tradeoffs are possible for some individuals who shift to active travel and consequently increase inhalation of air pollutants and exposure to traffic injuries. Well-designed policies may enhance health benefits through indirect outcomes such as improved social capital and diet, but these synergies are not sufficiently well understood to allow quantification at this time. Conclusion: Evaluating impacts of active travel policies is highly complex; however, many associations can be quantified. Identifying health-maximizing policies and conditions requires integrated HIAs.",

keywords = "Accidents, Traffic, Air Pollution, Bicycling, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Policy, Exercise, Health Behavior, Health Policy, Health Status, Hot Temperature, Humans, Noise, Transportation, Sunlight, Transportation, Travel, Walking",

author = "{de Nazelle}, Audrey and Nieuwenhuijsen, {Mark J} and Ant{\'o}, {Josep M} and Michael Brauer and David Briggs and Charlotte Braun-Fahrlander and Nick Cavill and Cooper, {Ashley R} and H{\'e}l{\`e}ne Desqueyroux and Scott Fruin and Gerard Hoek and Panis, {Luc Int} and Nicole Janssen and Michael Jerrett and Michael Joffe and Andersen, {Zorana Jovanovic} and {van Kempen}, Elise and Simon Kingham and Nadine Kubesch and Leyden, {Kevin M} and Marshall, {Julian D} and Jaume Matamala and Giorgos Mellios and Michelle Mendez and Hala Nassif and David Ogilvie and Rosana Peir{\'o} and Katherine P{\'e}rez and Ari Rabl and Martina Ragettli and Daniel Rodr{\'i}guez and David Rojas and Pablo Ruiz and Sallis, {James F} and Jeroen Terwoert and Jean-Fran{\c c}ois Toussaint and Jouni Tuomisto and Moniek Zuurbier and Erik Lebret",

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doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003",

language = "English",

volume = "37",

pages = "766--77",

journal = "Environment international",

issn = "0160-4120",

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T1 - Improving health through policies that promote active travel

T2 - a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment

AU - de Nazelle, Audrey

AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J

AU - Antó, Josep M

AU - Brauer, Michael

AU - Briggs, David

AU - Braun-Fahrlander, Charlotte

AU - Cavill, Nick

AU - Cooper, Ashley R

AU - Desqueyroux, Hélène

AU - Fruin, Scott

AU - Hoek, Gerard

AU - Panis, Luc Int

AU - Janssen, Nicole

AU - Jerrett, Michael

AU - Joffe, Michael

AU - Andersen, Zorana Jovanovic

AU - van Kempen, Elise

AU - Kingham, Simon

AU - Kubesch, Nadine

AU - Leyden, Kevin M

AU - Marshall, Julian D

AU - Matamala, Jaume

AU - Mellios, Giorgos

AU - Mendez, Michelle

AU - Nassif, Hala

AU - Ogilvie, David

AU - Peiró, Rosana

AU - Pérez, Katherine

AU - Rabl, Ari

AU - Ragettli, Martina

AU - Rodríguez, Daniel

AU - Rojas, David

AU - Ruiz, Pablo

AU - Sallis, James F

AU - Terwoert, Jeroen

AU - Toussaint, Jean-François

AU - Tuomisto, Jouni

AU - Zuurbier, Moniek

AU - Lebret, Erik

PY - 2011/5

Y1 - 2011/5

N2 - Substantial policy changes to control obesity, limit chronic disease, and reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gasses, have been recommended. Transportation and planning policies that promote active travel by walking and cycling can contribute to these goals, potentially yielding further co-benefits. Little is known, however, about the interconnections among effects of policies considered, including potential unintended consequences. Objectives and methods: We review available literature regarding health impacts from policies that encourage active travel in the context of developing health impact assessment (HIA) models to help decision-makers propose better solutions for healthy environments. We identify important components of HIA models of modal shifts in active travel in response to transport policies and interventions. Results and discussion: Policies that increase active travel are likely to generate large individual health benefits through increases in physical activity for active travelers. Smaller, but population-wide benefits could accrue through reductions in air and noise pollution. Depending on conditions of policy implementations, risk tradeoffs are possible for some individuals who shift to active travel and consequently increase inhalation of air pollutants and exposure to traffic injuries. Well-designed policies may enhance health benefits through indirect outcomes such as improved social capital and diet, but these synergies are not sufficiently well understood to allow quantification at this time. Conclusion: Evaluating impacts of active travel policies is highly complex; however, many associations can be quantified. Identifying health-maximizing policies and conditions requires integrated HIAs.

AB - Substantial policy changes to control obesity, limit chronic disease, and reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gasses, have been recommended. Transportation and planning policies that promote active travel by walking and cycling can contribute to these goals, potentially yielding further co-benefits. Little is known, however, about the interconnections among effects of policies considered, including potential unintended consequences. Objectives and methods: We review available literature regarding health impacts from policies that encourage active travel in the context of developing health impact assessment (HIA) models to help decision-makers propose better solutions for healthy environments. We identify important components of HIA models of modal shifts in active travel in response to transport policies and interventions. Results and discussion: Policies that increase active travel are likely to generate large individual health benefits through increases in physical activity for active travelers. Smaller, but population-wide benefits could accrue through reductions in air and noise pollution. Depending on conditions of policy implementations, risk tradeoffs are possible for some individuals who shift to active travel and consequently increase inhalation of air pollutants and exposure to traffic injuries. Well-designed policies may enhance health benefits through indirect outcomes such as improved social capital and diet, but these synergies are not sufficiently well understood to allow quantification at this time. Conclusion: Evaluating impacts of active travel policies is highly complex; however, many associations can be quantified. Identifying health-maximizing policies and conditions requires integrated HIAs.

KW - Accidents, Traffic

KW - Air Pollution

KW - Bicycling

KW - Environmental Exposure

KW - Environmental Policy

KW - Exercise

KW - Health Behavior

KW - Health Policy

KW - Health Status

KW - Hot Temperature

KW - Humans

KW - Noise, Transportation

KW - Sunlight

KW - Transportation

KW - Travel

KW - Walking

U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.003

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21419493

SN - 0160-4120

VL - 37

SP - 766

EP - 777

JO - Environment international

JF - Environment international

IS - 4

ER -

Improving health through policies that promote active travel: a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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