TRL - Symposium 16 Nov 2017 Promoting Active Travel Carl Petrokofsky, FFPH Public Health Specialist Healthy Places Unit Public Health England
Contents 1. The evidence on health and transport, active travel and health 2. Our work on healthy places 3. New futures 4. Conclusions 2 Health and the built environment
Public Health England PHE is the expert national public health agency that fulfils the Secretary of State’s statutory duty to protect health and address inequalities, and executes his power to promote the health and wellbeing of the nation. Our functions and the things we deliver to our stakeholders: We do this through world- class science, advocacy, partnerships, knowledge and intelligence, and the delivery of specialist public health services . 3
Your health is determined by: where you don’t live where you live what you do who you are PHINE 9 Dec 2014
Healthy environments can: • promote physical activity in everyday life (walking, cycling), which can help maintain healthy weights • facilitate easy access to healthy, affordable food • promote active travel, fewer injuries, connected neighbourhoods, cleaner air and economic development • enable good housing 5 Health and the built environment
West Midlands Combined Authority: Movement for Growth strategy What are the implications of achieving this strategy for health? Movement for Growth’s long term strategy will see a shift in emphasis of travel in line with thriving, prosperous, attractive, large European city regions, where car use is typically 35 – 45 % of all journeys, compared to 63% in the West Midlands.
What are the implications of not achieving this strategy for health, wellbeing and social integration? Movement for Growth’s long term strategy will see a shift in emphasis of travel in line with thriving, prosperous, attractive, large European city regions, where car use is typically 35 – 45 % of all journeys, compared to 63% in the West Midlands.
Physical activity, active travel & health
Inactivity is killing us Decreasing activity levels since 1960s: o Adults are over 20% less active o By 2030 we will 35% less active Physical inactivity is responsible for: o 1 in 6 UK deaths o 36,815 deaths per year could be avoided through increased physical activity o Up to 40% of many long-term conditions Ng SW, Popkin B (2012); Lee I-M, et al. (2012); Wen CP, Wu X (2012); WHO 9 (2010); Ossa D & Hutton J (2002); Murray et al. (2013)
Physical activity: Our greatest defence Physical Activity contribution to reduction in risk of mortality and long term conditions Disease Risk reduction Strength of evidence Death 20-35% Strong CHD and Stroke 20-35% Strong Type 2 Diabetes 35-40% Strong Colon Cancer 30-50% Strong Breast Cancer 20% Strong Hip Fracture 36-68% Moderate Depression 20-30% Moderate Hypertension 33% Strong Alzheimer’s Disease 20-30% Moderate Functional limitation, elderly 30% Strong Prevention of falls 30% Strong A Osteoarthritis disability 22-80% Moderate 10
Physical activity: Our greatest defence Physical Activity contribution to reduction in risk of mortality and long term conditions Disease Risk reduction Strength of evidence Death 20-35% Strong CHD and Stroke 20-35% Strong Type 2 Diabetes 35-40% Strong Colon Cancer 30-50% Strong Breast Cancer 20% Strong Hip Fracture 36-68% Moderate Depression 20-30% Moderate Hypertension 33% Strong Alzheimer’s Disease 20-30% Moderate Functional limitation, elderly 30% Strong Prevention of falls 30% Strong A Osteoarthritis disability 22-80% Moderate 11
Active travel & health: - & why is it so important • Active travel is walking or cycling as an alternative to motorised transport for the purpose of making everyday journeys • Building walking or cycling into daily routines is a key way of promoting physical activity
I. Why is active travel important? • People who cycle for travel purposes (rather than simply for recreation) are 4X as likely to meet physical activity guidelines as those who don’t • The growth in road transport has been a major factor in reducing levels of physical activity and increasing obesity • Short car trips (under 5 miles) are a prime area for switching to active travel and to public transport • Health promoting transport systems are pro-business and support economic prosperity. They enable optimal travel to work with less congestion, collisions, pollution, and they support a healthier workforce PHE Healthy People Healthy Places Programme
In the West Midlands……. If cycling was currently 5% of trips… Over 10 years it would prevent roughly: ↓ 550 Type 2 Diabetes ↓ 1,675 Coronary Heart Disease ↓ 625 Stroke ↓ 125 Breast Cancer ↓ 150 Colorectal Cancer ↓ 3,000 Dementia ↓ 2,500 Depression ↓ 10,000 Hip fractures With thanks to Duncan Vernon, WMCA Using the Sport England MOVES tool. Based on ~ 8,5 million extra 20 minute trips per year
Motorised road transport provides many benefits to society (access, comfort and convenience) and has become safer over the years However, cost to society of road transport is still high, contributing to immediate and longer-term health hazards and health inequalities Diagram acknowledgements: Lucy Saunders
A jigsaw of health issues W Acknowledgements to Duncan Vernon – West Midlands Combined Authority
Economic returns and Environment impact
Promoting Active Travel: Good for the economy & the environment • Physical inactivity £7.4 billion a year to business and wider society • Air Pollution. ~ 25,000 deaths pa. Estimated to cost the UK around £16bn a year, largely through health costs. Between 50-70% comes from road transport (POSTnote 496/ June 2015 & POSTnote 458 Feb 2015) • Excess delays, accidents, poor air quality, physical inactivity, greenhouse gas emissions and some of the impacts of traffic noise costs English urban areas £38-49bn • Better community cohesion could save £530 million a year
II. Re-imagining a more active world
What if streets were not just large car parks?
The adults might follow the children 22
Improved mental wellbeing and resilience Acknowledgements to Duncan Vernon
The vision: building a healthy community Based on the evidence, we identify a healthy place as a neighbourhood that is: • Compact • Mixed-use • Highly walkable • Free from pollution • These characteristics are in line with established principles of good urbanism, which also supports environmental sustainability, social equity and resilience . - Design Council
From: UK Green Building Council. Health and Wellbeing in Homes (2016)
The challenge: connecting these healthy communities
The future of transport is likely to be significantly influenced by new modes of transport; digital advancements;…… What are the health implications of all this? NIHR HPRU meeting 18 nov 2014 27
III. PHE Healthy Places Programme
PHE Briefing and Evidence Reviews
IV. Re-imagining a more active world Planning for a more sustainable, active and healthier future Developing the Evidence Base – Spatial Planning for Health
Spatial Neighbourhood Planning for Design Health Transport Housing Natural Healthy Food Environment https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spatial-planning-for-health-evidence-review 31
Healthy Places Programme
Emerging Key Messages Transport • Infrastructure for walking and Promote sustainable cycling transport • Encourage use public transp. infrastructure • Prioritise pedestrians and Prioritise active travel cyclists and road safety • Traffic calming measures • Active travel to work and Enable mobility for all school ages • Access to recreational space Healthy Places Programme 33
Concluding thoughts: Shaping the built environment • Considerate design of the wider environment is fundamental to keeping people healthy and promoting health. • Use public concern about health issues (eg air pollution) to start discussions on how the wider built and natural environment can protect, promote and improve health and wellbeing to prevent ill-health. • Use this to help change the current narrative • Planners & transport planners working with public health colleagues have a key role in creating places that support healthy lifestyles • Planners and policymakers have an opportunity to use changes in the built environment to make progress toward healthier and more sustainable communities. (Wins for health; the environment; and the economy)
Designing better places for walking and cycling .
Resources to stay in touch • Knowledge Hub: healthy people, healthy places forum https://khub.net/group/healthypeoplehealthyplaces/forum • Register for our monthly Current Awareness update on the latest emerging evidence on the built and natural environment at healthypeople.healthyplaces@phe.gov.uk
Thank you! For queries regarding the Healthy Places programme: 37 healthypeople.healthyplaces@phe.gov.uk
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