Health impact assessment of active transportation: A systematic review

Walking and cycling for transportation (i.e. active transportation, AT), provide substantial health benefits from increased physical activity (PA). However, risks of injury from exposure to motorized traffic and their emissions (i.e. air pollution) exist. The objective was to systematically review s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Preventive medicine Vol. 76; pp. 103 - 114
Main Authors: Mueller, Natalie, Rojas-Rueda, David, Cole-Hunter, Tom, de Nazelle, Audrey, Dons, Evi, Gerike, Regine, Götschi, Thomas, Int Panis, Luc, Kahlmeier, Sonja, Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.2015
Subjects:
Active transportation
Air pollution
Bicycling
Exercise
Female
Health Impact Assessment
Humans
Internal Medicine
Male
Mode shift
Physical activity
Risk Assessment
Traffic incident
Transportation - methods
Walking
RR
HIA
Physical activity
TRAP
Mode shift
CVD
HEAT
PA
AT
DALYs
PM2.5
DRF
Active transportation
Air pollution
Health impact assessment
Traffic incident
WHO
PM 2.5
health impact assessment
dose–response function
active transportation
cardiovascular disease
Health Economic Assessment Tool
World Health Organization
traffic-related air pollution
particulate matter less than 2.5 μm
relative risk
physical activity
disability-adjusted life years
ISSN:0091-7435, 1096-0260, 1096-0260
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Walking and cycling for transportation (i.e. active transportation, AT), provide substantial health benefits from increased physical activity (PA). However, risks of injury from exposure to motorized traffic and their emissions (i.e. air pollution) exist. The objective was to systematically review studies conducting health impact assessment (HIA) of a mode shift to AT on grounds of associated health benefits and risks. Systematic database searches of MEDLINE, Web of Science and Transportation Research International Documentation were performed by two independent researchers, augmented by bibliographic review, internet searches and expert consultation to identify peer-reviewed studies from inception to December 2014. Thirty studies were included, originating predominantly from Europe, but also the United States, Australia and New Zealand. They compromised of mostly HIA approaches of comparative risk assessment and cost–benefit analysis. Estimated health benefit–risk or benefit–cost ratios of a mode shift to AT ranged between −2 and 360 (median=9). Effects of increased PA contributed the most to estimated health benefits, which strongly outweighed detrimental effects of traffic incidents and air pollution exposure on health. Despite different HIA methodologies being applied with distinctive assumptions on key parameters, AT can provide substantial net health benefits, irrespective of geographical context. •Health impact assessment (HIA) can estimate impacts of transportation on health.•Active transportation (AT; walking, cycling) provides substantial health benefits.•Physical activity benefits exceed traffic-associated collision/emission detriments.•Differences in health benefits from AT exist for age, sex and ethnicity.•Net benefits are independent of geographical context or HIA modeling assumptions.
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ISSN:0091-7435
1096-0260
1096-0260
DOI:10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.04.010