Walking and cycling have the potential to tackle the worst effects of the UK’s growing health gap that leaves the poorest people suffering from more illnesses and dying younger.
Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has written an introduction to an evidence review by the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, and said transport infrastructure can encourage people to combine physical activity with their everyday journeys.
Active travel and health inequalities draws together a variety of research, which consistently shows that people from deprived areas have worse health.
From 2004 to 2006, heart disease deaths in England’s most deprived areas were 71% higher than in the wealthiest communities. Men and women living in the most deprived areas of Scotland have a life expectancy ten years lower than the average. And the poorest Welsh communities have obesity levels one and a half times greater than affluent areas.
Sir Liam said: “Some of the most disadvantaged groups in society are also the most sedentary, and the incidence of obesity, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease and mental health problems is higher among people in these groups.
“Active travel - walking and cycling - is an accessible and cost-effective way of incorporating physical activity into everyday lives, such as during the journey to work, shops, visiting family and friends, or the school run. Active travel can play an important role in helping individuals to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity.
“Making walking and cycling accessible by improving local infrastructure has the potential to enable those in disadvantaged communities to lead healthier lifestyles and reduce health inequalities.”
Traffic, noise, crime, litter, lighting and quality of public transport are believed to discourage people from poorer communities, especially the elderly, from staying physically active. In contrast, living in areas with walkable green spaces helps urban-dwelling pensioners to live longer.
Sustrans has several projects to tackle health inequalities by encouraging everyone to achieve the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity five times per week. The charity’s flagship project, the National Cycle Network, runs within one mile of 60% of people living in the top 25% of deprived areas. And among its Active Travel projects, unused bikes are being refurbished to build up a free bike loan scheme in Luton.
The Active travel and health inequalities information sheet can be downloaded at www.activetravel.org.uk
Further information about Sustrans, including other news releases and detailed online route mapping, is available through our website: www.sustrans.org.uk
Get moving North Tyneside and Generation Active are part of a portfolio of projects being delivered by a Consortium of the leading walking cycling and health organisations and funded through the Big Lottery Fund's Wellbeing Programme. The Programme provides funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve wellbeing.
Sustrans is the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity. Its vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. It is achieving this through innovative but practical solutions to the UK’s transport challenges.
Sustrans’ flagship project, the National Cycle Network, is now around 12,000 miles and runs within one mile of over half the UK population. During 2007 over 354 million trips were made on the Network. 2,500 volunteer rangers help to maintain it.
Sustrans is an active member of Stop Climate Chaos, a coalition of environmental, development, women's, faith-based and activist organisations campaigning to stop climate change.
Source: Sustrans
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Health inequalities can be tackled by new walking and cycling infrastructure
